LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

University  of  California. 


Class 


THE 

New  Directory 


FOR 


BAPTIST  CHURCHES 


**  Ut  scias  qiiomodo  opporteat  te  in  Domo  Dei 
Conversari,  quae  est  Ecclesia  Dei  vivi,  Coliimna 
et  Firmamentum  tertians,'' 


BY 

Edward  T.  Hiscox,  D.  D. 

n 

Author  of  "Baptist  Church  Directory,"  "Baptist  Short  Method' 

"Standard  Manual,"  "Star  Book  for  Ministers,"  "Pastor's 

Manual."  "Star  Book  Series,"  etc. 


PHILADELPHIA 

AMERICAN   BAPTIST   PUBLICATION  SOCIETY 

I70J  CHESTNUT  STREET 


Copyright  bv 

EDWARD  T.   HISCOX. 

1894. 

Published  June,  1902 


\^\V 


PUBLISHERS'  NOTE. 


In  presenting  a  new  edition  of  Dr.  Hiscox's  valu- 
able work  to  our  churches,  the  publishers  take 
pleasure  in  saying  that  the  "  New  Directory  "  has 
been  everywhere  welcomed  with  approval  and 
commendation  by  both  pastors  and  people.  Our 
denominational  journals  have  uniformly  given  it 
very  high  praise.  To  our  knowledge  there  has 
been  no  exception.  Some  of  the  author's  previous 
manuals  have  been  for  many  years  in  use,  have 
enjoyed  a  wide  circulation,  and  have  largely  con- 
tributed to  the  harmony,  unity,  and  good  order  of  our 
churches.  Not  a  few  manuals  by  other  authors  on 
specific  departments  of  our  faith  and  practice,  have 
also  been  used,  many  of  them  of  special  value,  and 
some  of  which  are  still  doing  good  service.  But 
nothing  so  comprehensive  and  so  complete  as 
the  "  New  Directory  "  has  ever  before  been  offered 
to  our  people.  A  few  testimonials  from  some 
of  our  prominent  men,  and  some  of  our  leading 
journals,  are  introduced,  and  certify  to  the  esti- 
mation in  which  the  book  is  held  by  them.  A  few 
changes  and  additions  have  been  made  in  the  text  of 
the  present  edition,  and  a  carefully  prepared  index 
has  been  appended,  which  will  add  much  to  its  value. 

We  commend  with  increased  confidence  the 
"  New  Directory  "  to  the  favor  of  American  Bap- 
tists, as  a  sound  and  scriptural  exposition  of  New 
Testament  church  polity,  as  represented  by  our 
faith  and  practice.  In  addition  we  express  the 
hope  that  its  use  will  be  still  more  largely  in- 
creased as  a  conservative  and  an  educating  force 
among  our  churches. 

3 

222660 


SOME  TESTIMONIALS  TO  THE  NEW  DIRECTORY 


Dr.  Hovey,  President  of  Newton  Theological  Seminary, 
says  :  "I  have  read  '  The  New  Directory '  with  great  satis- 
faction. The  style  is  well-nigh  perfect,  and  the  views  which 
it  inculcates  are  wholesome.  I  am  delighted  to  see  them 
stated  so  fully  and  so  lucidly.  The  volume  will  be  of  great 
service  to  the  denomination." 

Dr.  Strong,  President  of  Rochester  Theological  Seminary, 
says:  "I  take  great  pleasure  in  commending  'The  New 
Directory'  for  Baptist  churches,  by  E.  T.  Hiscox,  d.  d.,  as, 
on  the  whole,  the  most  complete  and  satisfactory  manual  on 
the  subject  extant.  I  regard  it  as  surprisingly  accurate  and 
faithful  in  its  presentation  of  our  polity  and  usages." 

Dr.  Weston,  President  of  Crozer  Theological  Seminary, 
says:  "Dr.  Hiscox  has  unquestionably  given  us  in  'The 
New  Directory*  the  book  which  will  be  the  recognized  de- 
nominational standard  for  years  to  come.  He  has  covered 
the  ground  which  a  Baptist  directory  should  occupy,  and  has 
done  it  well." 

Dr.  Corey,  President  of  Richmond  Theological  Seminary, 
says  :  "  It  is  a  most  valuable  book,  and  its  wide  circulation 
among  the  rising  ministry  will  be  productive  of  very  great 
good.  I  shall  recommend  its  use  in  the  classes  of  the 
seminary." 

Dr.  MacArthur  of  New  York,  says  :  "As  this  is  the  last 
so  it  is  the  ablest  of  all  the  manuals  Dr.  Hiscox  has  prepared. 
The  whole  denomination  may  well  rise  up  to  honor  Dr. 
Hiscox  for  the  important  service  he  has  rendered,  the  denomi- 
national inspiration  he  has  imparted,  and  the  sound  instruction 
he  has  giv^n." 

4- 


\^- 


ONTENTS 


PAGE 

Preface 7 

CHAPTER  I. 
Propositions  and  Statements »..»..     1 1 

CHAPTER  n. 
A  Christian  Church 20 

CHAPTER  nr. 

Church  Membership 6i 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Church  Officers 83 

CHAPTER  V. 
Christian  Ordinances 119 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Church  Government 142 

CHAPTER  VH. 
Church  Discipline 160 

CHAPTER  Vni. 
Unusual  Difficulties 192 

CHAPTER  IX. 
Christian  Worship 210 

CHAPTER  X. 
The  Church's  Mission 252 

5 


6  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XI.  PAGE 

The  Christian  Ministry 277 

CHAPTER  XH. 
Baptist  Councils 311 

CHAPTER  xnr. 

Related  Societies .      .     330 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
Ordination 344 

CHAPTER  XV. 
Christian   Baptism 386 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
The  Lord's  Supper 445 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
Infant  Baptism 468 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
Baptist   History 492 


APPENDIX 


A.  Creeds  and  Confessions 525 

B.  Optional  Resolutions 564 

C.  Glossary  of  Authorities 567 

D.  Rules  of  Order 576 

E.  Forms  and  Blanks 585 

F.  Benevolent  Societies 594 


PREFACE. 

Thirty-four  years  ago  (1859)  the  Baptist  Church 
Directory  was  published  as  an  ecclesiastical  manual 
for  use  among  Baptists.  It  met  with  immediate  and 
hearty  approval  by  both  pastors  and  members  of 
the  churches,  and  was  welcomed  at  once  by  a  large 
circulation.  That  such  a  book  is  still  needed  is 
proven  by  the  fact  that  after  a  constant  and  unin- 
terrupted use  for  an  entire  generation,  it  is  in  as 
great  demand  as  ever.  This,  for  a  book  of  the  kind, 
is  declared  by  the  publishers  to  be  a  case  *'  altogether 
phenomenal."  Since  its  first  issue,  within  its  field  of 
denominational  literature,  probably  a  dozen  differ- 
ent books  treating  of  some  departments  of  Baptist 
Church  polity  have  appeared,  had  a  brief  run,  then 
disappeared.  The  Directory,  by  its  general  plan, 
method  of  treatment,  and  exposition  of  principles, 
has  so  commended  itself  to  the  denomination  as  to 
be  declared  as  nearly  a  *'  standard  "  on  the  subjects 
of  which  it  treats,  as  anything  short  of  the  New 
Testament  can  be.  About  sixty  thousand  copies 
have  been  circulated  in  this  country,  while  it  has 


8  PREFACE. 

been  translated  more  or  less  fully  into  at  least  seven 
different  languages,  by  our  missionaries  in  foreign 
lands,  for  use  among  the  native  churches.  For 
such  signal  service  rendered  to  Gospel  truth  and 
our  distinctive  faith,  the  author  is  devoutly  thankful. 

Since  the  first  appearance  of  the  Directory  the 
author  has  published  several  other  manuals,  mostly 
smaller,  designed  to  meet  the  needs  of  specific  de- 
partments in  our  Church  life,  usage,  and  order.  In 
all,  there  are  now  nine  of  these  manuals,  the  com- 
bined circulation  of  which,  in  this  country,  so  far  as 
can  be  ascertained,  is  not  less  than  one  hundred  and 
sixty  thousand  copies.  The  Standard  Manual  has 
be^n  translated  into  Spanish,  for  use  in  our  churches 
in  Mexico,  Cuba,  and  elsewhere,  among  Spanish- 
speaking  peoples. 

The  present  work,  though  constructed  on  the 
same  general  plan  as  the  Directory,  is  an  entirely 
new  book,  much  more  comprehensive,  and  contains 
more  than  double  the  amount  of  matter.  It  is  entire- 
ly in  harmony  with  previous  manuals,  as  to  Baptist 
polity,  and  neither  abrogates  nor  antagonizes  any 
of  the  fundamental  principles  announced  or  advo- 
cated in  those  previous  issues.  During  the  past 
quarter  of  a  century  the  author  has  been  writt-^in  to 
repeatedly,  asking  his  opinion  and  advice  as  to  per- 
plexing cases  in  Church  order  and  discipline,  ^^vick 


PREFACE.  9 

as  will  frequently  arise,  and  which  no  prescriptive 
rules  can  possibly  anticipate.  This  work  is  intended, 
so  far  as  possible,  to  meet  such  cases,  by  more  ex- 
tended explanations  of  general  principles.  The  ar- 
rangement of  subjects  and  matter  is  lucid,  the  style 
is  plain  and  simple,  and  the  arguments  are  believed 
to  be  convincing.  The  book,  it  is  confidently  ex- 
pected, will  commend  itself  to  the  people  as  a  care- 
ful and  sound  exposition  of  Baptist  Church  polity 
and  practice. 

When  the  Directory  was  issued  in  1859,  American 
Baptists  numbered  less  than  one  millioti  Church 
members.  Now  they  have  about  three  and  one-half 
millions.  Many  thousands  of  young  people,  and  per- 
sons from  other  denominations  and  from  families 
without  religious  instruction,  are  yearly  gathered 
into  our  churches.  These  recruits  came  among  us 
with  all  the  rights  of  franchise,  but  with  little  or  no 
previous  instruction  as  to  their  exercise.  They  need 
to  be  taught  as  to  the  nature,  duties  and  privileges 
of  membership  in  the  Church  of  Christ,  if  their  ad- 
mission is  to  be  made  a  blessing.  Our  Church 
members  also,  both  young  and  old,  need  instruction 
as  to  our  distinctive  principles,  and  the  reasons  for 
them,  if  the  integrity  of  our  faith  is  to  be  preserved. 
If  there  be  reasons  for  the  maintenance  of  a  dis- 
tinct   denominational    existence,    there    is    special 


10  PREFACE. 

urgency  for  the  declaration  and  the  defense  of  those 
reasons.  The  principles  on  which  this  Manual  is 
constructed  are  drawn  from  the  New  Testament, 
and  never  in  our  history  was  there  so  much  need  of 
such  an  exposition  and  guide  for  members  in  our 
Church  fellowship,  as  there  is  to-day.  Let  the 
necessity  be  recognized  and  met. 

May  the  favor  of  our  gracious  Heavenly  Father 
attend  this,  as  it  has  sanctioned  previous  efforts  in 
the  same  direction,  and  make  it  a  means  of  further- 
ance to  the  unity,  harmony,  spiritual  vitality  and 
efficiency  of  the  churches,  resulting  in  the  glory  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  through  the  salvation  of  souls 
and  the  edification  of  the  saints,  is  the  sincere  and 
prayerful  desire  of  the  writer,  E.  T.  H. 

Mount  Vernon y  N.  F.,  May  20,  1893. 


THE  NEW  DIRECTORY. 

CHAPTER  I. 

PROPOSITIONS   AND   STATEMENTS. 

Prop.  I.  The  Bible  is  a  Divine  Revelation  given 
of  God  to  men,  and  is  a  complete  and  infallible 
guide  and  standard  of  authority  in  all  matters  of 
religion  and  morals;  whatever  it  teaches  is  to  be 
believed,  and  whatever  it  commands  is  to  be  obeyed; 
whatever  it  commends  is  to  be  accepted  as  both 
right  and  useful;  whatever  it  condemns  is  to  be 
avoided  as  both  wrong  and  hurtful;  but  what  it 
neither  commands  nor  teaches  is  not  to  be  imposed 
on  the  conscience  as  of  religious  obligation. 

Prop.  II.  The  New  Testament  is  the  constitution 
of  Christianity,  the  charter  of  the  Christian  Church, 
the  only  authoritative  code  of  ecclesiastical  law,  and 
the  warrant  and  justification  of  all  Christian  institu- 
tions. In  it  alone  is  life  and  immortality  brought 
to  light,  the  way  of  escape  from  wrath  revealed,  and 
all  things  necessary  to  salvation  made  plain;  while 
its  messages  are  a  gospel  of  peace  on  earth  and  of 
hope  to  a  lost  world. 

Prop.  III.  Every  man   by  nature    possesses  the 


12  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

right  of  private  judgment  in  the  interpretation  of  the 
Scriptures,  and  in  all  religious  concerns;  it  is  his 
privilege  to  read  and  explain  the  Bible  for  himself, 
without  dictation  from,  or  dependence  on,  any  one, 
being  responsible  to  God  alone  for  his  use  of  the 
sacred  truth. 

Prop.  IV.  Every  man  has  the  right  to  hold  such 
religious  opinions  as  he  believes  the  Bible  teaches, 
without  harm  or  hindrance  from  any  one  on  that 
account,  so  long  as  he  does  not  intrude  upon,  or  in- 
terfere with,  the  rights  of  others  by  so  doing. 

Prop.  V.  All  men  have  the  right,  not  only  to  be- 
lieve, but  also  to  profess  and  openly  declare,  what- 
ever religious  opinions  they  may  entertain,  providing 
they  be  not  contrary  to  common  morality,  and  do 
no  injustice  to  others. 

Prop.  VI.  All  men  possess  the  common  right  to 
worship  God  according  to  the  teachings  of  the 
Scriptures,  as  they  understand  them,  without  hin- 
drance or  molestation,  so  long  as  they  do  not  injure 
or  interfere  with  the  rights  of  others  by  so  doing. 

Prop.  VII.  Civil  governments,  rulers  and  magis- 
trates are  to  be  respected,  and  in  all  temporal  mat- 
ters, not  contrary  to  conscience  and  the  word  of 
God,  to  be  obeyed;  but  they  have  no  jurisdiction  in 
spiritual  concerns,  and  have  no  right  of  dictation  to, 
of  control  over,  or  of  interference  with,  matters  of 
religion;  but  are  bound  to  protect  all  good  citizens 
in  the  peaceable  enjoyment  of  their  religious  rights 
and  privileges. 

Prop.  VIII.  No  organic  union  of  Church  and  State 


PROPOSITIONS   AND   STATEMENTS.  1 3 

should  be  tolerated,  but  entire  separation  maintained: 
the  Church  should  neither  ask  for,  nor  accept  of,  sup- 
port from  civil  authority,  since  to  do  so  would  imply 
the  right  of  civil  dictation  and  control.  The  sup- 
port of  religion  belongs  to  those  who  profess  it. 

Prop.  IX.  Christian  men  are  to  be  good  and  law- 
abiding  citizens,  sustaining  and  defending  the  gov- 
ernment under  which  they  live,  in  all  things  not 
contrary  to  conscience  and  the  word  of  God;  while 
such  government  is  bound  to  protect  them  in  the 
full  enjoyment  of  all  their  rights  and  privileges,  both 
civil  and  religious. 

Prop.  X.  Religion  is  to  be  free  and  voluntary, 
both  as  to  faith,  worship  and  service;  neither  con- 
formity to,  nor  support  of,  religion  in  any  form, 
should  be  compulsory.  Christian  faith  and  practice 
are  matters  of  conscience  and  personal  choice,  and 
not  subject  to  official  dictation;  and  for  either  civil 
or  ecclesiastical  authority  to  enforce  conformity, 
punish  dissent,  or  compel  the  support  of  any  form 
of  worship,  is  a  crime  against  the  rights  of  man,  an 
assumption  of  divine  prerogatives,  and  treason 
against  Christ,  the  only  Lord  of  the  conscience  and 
sovereign  of  the  soul. 

Prop.  XL  None  but  regenerated  persons  ought 
to  be,  or  properly  can  be,  members  of  a  Christian 
Church,  which  is  a  spiritual  body  separate  from  the 
world  and  distinct  from  the  state,  and  to  be  com- 
posed of  spiritual  members  only. 

Prop.  XIL  Pastors  are  not  to  be  imposed  on 
churches  nor  taken  from  them  without  their  consent; 


14  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

but  are  to  be  chosen  by  them,  each  for  itself,  at  its 
own  option,  as  by  free  men  in  Christ,  who  have  a 
right  to  the  choice  and  election  of  their  religious 
teachers. 

Prop.  XIII.  Christ  is  the  only  Head  over,  and 
Lawgiver  to,  His  churches.  Consequently  the 
churches  cannot  make  laws,  but  only  execute  those 
which  He  has  given.  Nor  can  any  man,  or  body  of 
men  legislate  for  the  churches.  The  New  Testa- 
ment alone  is  their  statute  book,  by  which,  without 
change,  the  body  of  Christ  is  to  govern  itself. 

DISTINCTIVE     CHARACTERISTICS. 

In  what  respects  do  Baptists  differ  from  other 
Christian  denominations  ? 

This  is  a  question  sometimes  asked,  and  one  which 
even  Baptists  themselves  not  unfrequently  find  it 
difficult  to  answer.  If  others  misunderstand  or  mis- 
interpret them,  they  should  understand  their  own 
position,  and  be  able  to  give  a  reason  for  it;  they  of 
all  men,  should  be  well  instructed  in  the  "  kingdom 
of  heaven,"  especially  so  far  as  relates  to  their  pecul- 
iar faith  and  order.  Every  honest  mind  searching 
for  truth  will  ask,  "What  does  the  Bible  teach.?" 
rather  than,  ''  What  do  men  believe  ?  "  Yet  the  for- 
mer is  often  better  learned  by  well  understanding 
the  latter.  The  opinions  of  men  and  the  creeds  of 
the  churches  are  important  to  be  known,  for  infor- 
mation if  not  for  authority. 

The  following  points  indicate  the  more  important 


PROPOSITIONS  AND  STATEMENTS.  1 5 

respects  in  which  Baptists  differ  from  others,  as  to 
reHgious  opinion  and  practice: 

1.  As  to  a  Christian  Church. 

They  hold  that  a  Church  is  a  company  of  disci- 
ples, baptized  on  a  profession  of  their  faith  in  Christ, 
united  in  covenant  to  maintain  the  ordinances  of 
the  Gospel,  and  the  public  worship  of  God;  to  live 
godly  lives,  and  to  spread  abroad  the  knowledge  of 
Christ  as  the  Saviour  of  men. 

Consequently  an  ecclesiastical  system  consisting 
of  many  organic  units,  a  confederation  of  religious 
societies  under  one  general  government  or  head, 
is  not  a  Christian  Church,  though  sometimes  bearing 
that  designation. 

2.  As  to  Baptism. 

They  believe  that  baptism  is  the  immersion^  dip- 
ping, or  burying  a  candidate  in  water,  on  a  profes- 
sion of  his  faith  in  Christ,  and  that  such  is  the  only 
form  of  baptism  taught  in  the  New  Testament,  or 
practised  by  the  Apostles  and  first  Christians.  Con- 
sequently the  form  is  essential  to  the  ordinance, 
and  nothing  but  immersion  can  be  scriptural  baptism. 

Therefore  sprinkling,  pouring,  and  whatever  other 
use  of  water  may  be  resorted  to,  are  not  baptism  at 
all,  but  substitutes  for  it.  On  the  contrary,  Pedo- 
baptists  hold  that  sprinkling  and  pouring  are  equal- 
ly valid  baptism  with  immersion,  and  because  more 
convenient,  are  to  be  preferred. 


l6  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

3.  Proper  Subjects  for  Baptism.  _ 
Baptists  assert  that  the  only  proper  subjects  for 

baptism  are  regenerated  persons;  those  who  have 
exercised  and  professed  a  saving  faith  in  Christ,  and 
are  living  orderly  Christian  lives. 

On  the  contrary,  some  hold  and  teach  that  unre- 
generate  persons  may  be  baptized  as  a  means'  of 
grace;  while  all  Pedobaptists  claim  that  unconscious 
infants,  unregenerate  and  incapable  of  faith,  should 
receive  baptism  on  the  faith  of  parents,  or  sponsors. 
All  of  which  Baptists  declare  to  be  plainly  contrary 
to  the  word  of  God  and  the  economy  of  grace. 

4.  Proper  Subjects  for  Communion. 

As  to  who  have  the  right  and  properly  should 
come  to  the  Communion  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  Bap- 
tists claim  that  only  regenerate  persons,  baptized 
on  a  profession  of  their  faith,  and  living  in  a  godly 
and  Christian  manner  as  members  of  a  church,  have 
a  right  to,  or  can  properly  partake  of,  the  Supper. 
Of  course,  then,  baptism  is  prerequisite  to  the  Sup- 
per; of  course,  also,  the  Church  is  to  judge  the 
qualifications  of  those  who  enjoy  its  privileges. 

On  the  contrary,  some  believe  and  teach  that 
baptism  is  not  prerequisite  to  the  Communion, 
therefore  unbaptized  persons  may  rightfully  come 
to  the  Lord's  table;  some  also  teach  that  conversion 
is  not  prerequisite  to  baptism  and  church-member- 
ship, while  others  assert  that  each  one  should  judge 
of  his  own  fitness,  and  the  Church  cannot  properly 
deny  the  privilege  to  any  one  who  desires  it. 


PROPOSITIONS  AND   STATEMENTS.  1/ 

All  Pedobaptists  invite  to  the  Supper  persons 
only  sprinkled,  whom  Baptists  regard  as  unbaptized; 
the  Roman  Church  gives  to  the  laity  the  Commun- 
ion in  one  kind  only,  withholding  from  them  the 
cup,  and  the  Greek  Church  gives  the  Eucharist,  as 
they  do  baptism,  to  unconscious  infants.  All  of 
which  Baptists  consider  contrary  to  the  Scriptures, 
and  subversive  of  Gospel  order  in  the  churches. 

5.  Subjects  for  Church  Membership. 

What  class  of  persons  should  be  admitted  as 
members  to  the  fellowship  of  Christian  chmches  ? 
Baptists  say  that  godly  persons,  baptized  on  a 
profession  of  faith,  are  the  only  proper  and  suit- 
able persons.  That  all  others  should  be  denied  ad- 
mission, and  if  already  within  the  Church  should  be 
cast  out. 

Consequently,  to  receive  unconverted  persons, 
whether  infants  or  adults,  destroys  the  spiritual 
character  of  the  body,  and  forms  an  unholy  alliance 
with  the  world,  instead  of  maintaining  a  broad  and 
distinctive  separation  between  them. 

6.  The  Form  of  Church  Government. 

Is  there  any  form  of  government  for  the  churches 
taught  in  the  New  Testament  .-^  And  if  so,  what  is 
it  .•*  Baptists  assert  that  each  particular  local  Church 
is  self-governing,  and  independent  of  all  othei 
churches,  and  of  all  persons  and  bodies  of  men 
whatever,  as  to  the  administration  of  its  own  affairs; 
that  it  is  of  right,  and  should  be,  free  from  any  other 


1 8  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

human  authority,  whether  civil  or  ecclesiastical,  and 
that  this  is  the  New  Testament  idea  of  church  gov- 
ernment. 

Others,  however,  with  great  diversity  of  opinion, 
hold  and  teach  that  local  congregations  of  Chris- 
tians should  not  govern  themselves,  but  be  gov- 
erned by  popes,  bishops  or  priests,  assemblies, 
conferences,  conventions,  councils,  consociations, 
synods  or  presbyteries.  All  of  which  Baptists  con- 
sider as  contradictory  of  the  New  Testament  and 
the  practice  of  the  primitive  churches. 

7.  As  to  Church  Officers. 

What  and  how  many  are  the  Scriptural  officers  of 
a  Christian  Church  t  Baptists  hold  that  they  are 
two;  pastors  and  deacons:  besides  these,  there  are 
no  others.  They  assert  that  bishop  and  elder  in  the 
primitive  churches  were  identical  in  office  and  au- 
thority, being  pastors  when  holding  the  superinten- 
dence of  churches,  and  evaitgelists  when  preaching 
from  place  to  place;  and  that  ruling  and  teach- 
ing elders  were  not,  and  properly  should  not  be,  dis- 
tinct and  separate  offices  in  the  churches.  Conse- 
quently bishops  are  not  a  superior  order  of  the 
clergy,  nor  ruling  elders  an  order  distinct  from 
teaching  elders. 

On  the  contrary,  other  denominations  claim  more 
than  two  orders  in  the  ministry  and  officers  in  the 
churches,  running  through  a  long  list  from  pope 
to  pastor,  from  cardinal  to  curate,  from  dean  to 
deacon. 


PROPOSITIONS  AND   STATEMENTS.  1 9 

8.  As  to  Doctrinal  Belief , 

In  doctrine,  Baptists  agree  very  nearly  with 
other  evangelical  Christians.  They  are  what  is 
usually  called  Calvinistic,  as  opposed  to  Arminian 
views  of  free-will  and  the  sovereignty  of  grace. 
They  hold  the  unity  of  the  Godhead,  and  the  equal 
Divinity  of  the  Father,  Son  and  Spirit:  a  full  and 
free  salvation  proclaimed  to  all  in  Christ;  the  atone- 
ment and  redemption  by  the  meritorious  sacrifice  of 
Christ;  justification  by  faith,  not  by  works;  the  ab- 
solute necessity  of  regeneration  in  order  to  salvation; 
the  Holy  Spirit  the  author  and  finisher  of  saving 
faith  and  sanctification;  the  personal  election  of  be- 
lievers; the  perseverance  of  the  saints  by  upholding 
grace;  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  and  the  life 
everlasting;  also  the  endless  duration  of  rewards 
and  punishments,  to  be  assigned  by  Christ,  the  judge 
of  quick  and  dead,  at  His  coming  and  glory. 

There  may  be  others,  but  the  above  named  con- 
stitute those  which  chiefly  mark  the  difference  be- 
tween Baptists  and  other  Christians.  These  are  the 
questions  in  respect  to  which  misapprehensions  most 
frequently  arise,  and  on  which  information  is  most 
likely  to  be  sought.  And  on  all  of  them,  while  Bap- 
tists do  not  claim  to  be  faultless,  nor  beyond  the 
possibility  of  mistake  and  error,  they  appeal  to  the 
Bible,  to  history,  to  philology,  in  justification  of  their 
views,  and  in  support  of  their  position. 


CHAPTER  II. 

A  CHRISTIAN   CHURCH. 

A  Christian  Church  is  a  company  of  regen- 
erate persons,  baptized  on  a  profession  of  faith  in 
Christ;  united  in  covenant  for  worship,  instruction, 
the  observance  of  Christian  ordinances,  and  for  such 
service  as  the  gospel  requires;  recognizing  and  ac- 
cepting Christ  as  their  supreme  Lord  and  Lawgiver, 
and  taking  His  Word  as  their  only  and  sufficient 
rule  of  faith  and  practice  in  all  matters  of  conscience 
and  religion. 

I.      MEANING    OF  THE  WORD. 

The  word  Church  is  of  uncertain  derivation  :  Eng- 
lish, Church;  Scottish,  Kirk;  Anglo-Saxon,  Cyric; 
German,  Kirche;  Danish,  Kyrke ;  Swedish,  Kyrka; 
Russian,  Zerkow.  It  is  used  as  the  equivalent,  if 
not  derived  from  the  Hebrew  Kahal;  Latin,  Curia, 
and  has  usually  been  derived  from  the  Greek  Kuri- 
akon — "belonging  to  the  Lord."  This  is,  however, 
disputed  by  good  authority.  But  Ekklesia  is  the 
accepted  equivalent  Greek  word  used  in  the  Nev/ 
Testament,  and  translated  Church.  This  word  is 
used  to  designate  the  visible  "  Kingdom  of  heaven" 
on  earth,  the  company  of  God's  elect  people  chosen 
in  Christ  Jesus;  His  spiritual  Israel  of  the  New  Dis- 


A  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  21 

pensation — what  Alford  calls  ''the  congregation  of 
the  faithful."* 

Ekklesia  is  composed  of  ek^  from,  or  out  of,  and 
kaleoy  to  call — called  out  from.  It  denotes  a  com- 
pany, or  assembly  of  persons,  called  out,  selected, 
chosen  and  separated  from  a  larger  company,  a  more 
general  concourse  of  people.  According  to  the 
usages  of  Greek  civil  life,  the  Ekklesia  was,  as  the 
lexicons  define  it,  ''an  assembly  of  citizens  called 
together  for  deliberative  purposes ;  a  legislative 
assembly,  called  to  discuss  the  affairs  of  state."  It 
was  an  orderly  and  an  organized  assembly,  consist- 
ing of  those  possessing  the  rights  of  citizenship,  for 
the  consideration  of  public  affairs,  and  the  enact- 
ment and  enforcement  of  laws  pertaining  to  the 
public  welfare,  as  distinguished  from  the  common 
populace  at  large,  an  incidental  concourse,  or  a  dis- 
orderly crowd  of  people. t 

Bishop  Trench  gives  the  following  elucidation  : 

"We  have  Ekklesia  in  three  distinct  stages  of  meaning — the 
Heathen,  the  Jewish,  the  Christian.  In  respect  of  the  first, 
Ekklesia,  as  all  know,  was  the  lawful  assembly  in  a  free  Greek 
city  of  all  persons  possessed  of  the  rights  of  citizenship  foi 
the  transaction  of  public  affairs.  That  they  were  summoned, 
is  expressed  in  the  latter  part  of  the  word ;  that  they  were 
summoned  out  of  the.  whole  population,  a  select  portion  of  it, 
including  neither  the  populace,  nor  yet  the  strangers,  nor 
those  who  had  forfeited  their  civic  rights;  this  is  expressed 

*  See  Matt.  i6:  i8;  i8:  17. 

f  See  Grimms-Wilkes  N.  T.  Lexicon,  Liddcll  &  Scott,  Robin- 
son, et  al. 


22  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

in  the  first  part.  Both  the  calling,  and  the  calling  out,  are 
moments  to  be  remembered  when  the  word  is  assumed  into 
a  higher  Christian  sense,  for  in  them  the  chief  part  of  its 
peculiar  adaptation  to  its  auguster  uses  lies." — Synonyms  of 
the  New  Testament,  pp.  17,  18;  Ed.  1837. 

Still  true  to  its  original  classical  idea  and  scope 
of  meaning,  when  the  word  was  adopted  into  Chris- 
tian literature  and  applied  to  higher  and  more  sacred 
uses,  it  designated  a  company  called  out  from  the 
world,  elected,  chosen  and  separated — Eklekiot,  the 
elected,  the  faithful,  called  to  be  saints.  And  thus  a 
selected  and  separated  company,  to  constitute  *'  the 
Kingdom  of  Christ,"  "the  Church  of  the  living  God," 
*'a  peculiar  people"  sanctified  to  Himself.  Here, 
also,  we  have  the  further  idea,  fundamental  to  its 
primitive  meaning,  of  an  organized  company,  with 
laws,  officers  and  ordinances  for  the  orderly  trans- 
action of  affairs,  and  the  performance  of  service  con- 
templated in  their  calling  and  institution. 

II.      USES   OF   THE   WORD. 

The  word  Ekklesia  is  found  one  hundred  and  fif- 
teen times  in  the  New  Testament.  In  one  hundred 
and  ten  of  these  instances  it  has  reference  to  the 
institution  known  as  the  Church.  In  three  instances 
it  is  used  in  what  Trench  calls  the  "  heathen  sense," 
being  applied  to  the  assembly  gathered  at  Ephesus, 
on  the  occasion  of  the  riot  incited  against  Paul  and 
his  associates — Acts  19:  32,  39,  41.  Notice,  how- 
ever, that  the  excited  and  riotous  multitude  was  the 


A  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  23 

oklos — a  crowd,  a  confused  and  disorderly  multitude, 
Acts  2  :  35,  and  not  the  Ekklesia,  which  was  the 
official  and  authoritative  assembly,  to  which  such 
cases  of  popular  disturbance  and  disorder  were  ap- 
pealed for  suppression  and  settlement.  In  /z£;^  cases 
this  word  is  used  in  the  "Jewish  sense,"  being  ap- 
plied to  ancient  Israel  as  God's  chosen  and  separated 
people.  In  the  address  of  Stephen  before  his  ac- 
cusers, when  referring  to  Mosaic  history,  he  said  : 
"  This  is  he  that  was  in  the  Church  {Ekklesia)  in  the 
wilderness,  with  the  angel  which  spoke  to  him." — 
Acts  7 :  38 ;  and  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  a 
citation  from  the  Twenty-second  Psalm,  according 
to  the  Seventy,  **  I  will  declare  thy  name  unto  my 
brethren;  in  the  midst  of  the  Church  (Ekklesid)  will 
I  sing  praise  unto  thee." — Heb.  2:12;  Ps.  22  :  22. 
The  Alexandrian  translators  of  the  Hebrew  Scrip- 
tures into  Greek  used  this  word  to  designate  the 
entire  congregation  of  Israel,  the  whole  Hebrew 
commonwealth,  as  an  organic  unity.  Under  the 
theocratic  government  of  the  Old  Dispensation,  the 
seed  of  Abraham  constituted  a  distinct  congrega- 
tion, called  out  and  separated  from  all  other  peoples 
and  races,  organized  under  a  polity  peculiarly  their 
own,  with  laws,  ordinances  and  services  as  distinct 
as  their  own  calling  and  race  life.  Hence  the  pro- 
priety and  force  of  this  word  as  a  designation  of  the 
Hebrew  people. 

In  the  "  Christian  sense"  the  word  Ekklesia  has  a 
twofold  signification  in  the  New  Testament.  First, 
it  is  used,  in  its  primary  and  literal  sense,  to  desig- 


24  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

nate  a  visible,  local  congregation  of  Christian  disci- 
ples, meeting  for  worship,  instruction  and  service. 
Second,  it  is  used  in  a  secondary  and  figurative  sense, 
to  designate  the  invisible,  universal  company,  in- 
cluding all  of  God's  true  people  on  earth  and  in 
heaven.  There  is,  then,  the  visible,  local  Church, 
and  the  invisible,  universal  Church.  In  the  latter 
case  the  word  represents  a  conception  of  the  mind, 
having  no  real  existence  in  time  or  place,  and  not  a 
historical  fact,  being  only  an  ideal  multitude  with- 
out organization,  without  action,  and  without  cor- 
porate being. 

Of  the  one  hundred  and  ten  instances  in  which 
Ekklesia  is  rendered  Church  in  the  New  Testament, 
more  than  ninety  are  applied  to  a  visible,  local  con- 
gregation, or  company  of  disciples,  meeting  in  a 
given  place,  for  a  given  purpose.  This  is  the  pri- 
mary and  literal  signification  of  the  word.  Thus  it 
is  said,  "Paul  called  the  elders  of  the  Church;" 
"The  Church  of  God  at  Corinth;"  "The  Seven 
churches  of  Asia;"  "The  ChurchofEphesus;"  "The 
churches  of  Galatia."  But  when  it  is  said,  "Christ 
also  loved  the  Church,  and  gave  Himself  for  it,  that 
He  might  present  it  to  Himself  a  glorious  Church," 
etc.,  Eph.  5  :  25,  27,  it  presumably  refers  to  no  par- 
ticular congregation  of  believers,  but  to  the  entire 
company  of  the  saved — the  universal,  invisible 
Church.  In  the  same  way  is  interpreted  the  much- 
quoted  declaration  of  Jesus :  "On  this  rock  will  I 
build  my  Church."— Matt.  16:  18.  Also,  "To  the 
intent  that  now     ....     might  be  known  by  the 


A  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  2$ 

Church  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God." — Eph.  3 :  10. 
"  He  is  the  head  of  the  body,  the  Church." — Col.  i  : 
18.  "The  general  assembly  and  Church  of  the 
first-born,  which  are  written  in  heaven." — Heb.  12: 
23.  These,  with  a  few  other  passages,  are  supposed 
to  refer  not  to  any  localized  congregations  of  be- 
lievers, but  to  the  universal  fellowship  of  the  faith- 
ful. And  yet  it  is  likely  that  some  of  the  passages 
usually  thus  interpreted  might,  by  a  more  careful 
exegesis,  be  found  to  bear  the  primary  and  literal 
meaning  of  a  particular  congregation.  Certain  it  is 
that  this  literal  meaning  of  the  word  is  its  first  and 
ruling  signification,  as  is  certified  in  a  vast  majority 
of  cases.  And  if  in  certain  cases  another  meaning 
attaches  to  it,  such  other  meaning  is  purely  tropical 
and  secondary.  And  such  secondary  meaning 
grows  directly  out  of,  and  bears  a  strict  resemblance 
to,  the  primary. 

The  word  Church,  in  common  language,  is  used 
with  a  large  latitude  of  meaning.  It  is  applied  to  a 
congregation  of  Christian  worshipers,  to  a  religious 
establishment,  to  a  given  form  of  ecclesiastical  or- 
der, to  the  aggregate  of  all  the  saints,  and  to  a 
building  used  for  religious  purposes.  This  last-named 
use,  though  common,  is  hardly  legitimate,  and  the 
passages  of  Scripture  sometimes  cited  to  justify  it 
(Rom.  16:  5;  I  Cor.  11:  18;  14:  19,  28)  will  not  war- 
rant such  application.  And  to  call  the  aggregate 
of  those  who  profess  the  Christian  faith — of  all 
names  in  all  the  world — *'  the  Christian  Church,"  is  a 
misuse  of  the  word  not  warranted  by  the  Scriptures. 


26  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY.> 

There  is  no  such  thing  as  a  universal  Church  on 
earth  embraced  in  one  grand  communion.  Equally 
baseless  and  unsupported  by  Scripture  is  the  claim 
that  all  the  religious  congregations  of  a  nation,  or  of  a 
given  form  of  faith  in  a  nation,  constitute  a  national, 
or  a  denominational  church.  It  contradicts  the  New 
Testament  idea.  It  is  common  to  speak  of  "the 
Church  of  England,"  or  "  the  Church  of  Russia,"  or 
"  the  Church  of  Rome."  We  understand  what  is  in- 
tended, but  such  terms  are  extra-evangelical,  and 
untrue  to  the  New  Testament  idea. 

III.      MARKS   OF   A   TRUE   CHURCH. 

Are  there  any  marks,  or  signs,  by  which  a  true 
Church  can  be  known  .-*  If  so,  what  are  they  ?  If 
our  ideas  as  to  what  constitutes  a  true  Church  be 
erroneous  or  confused,  we  shall  be  likely  to  go 
astray  as  to  all  that  follows,  and  misinterpret  its 
polity,  order,  ordinances,  its  structure,  government 
and  purpose.  All  the  various  Christian  communions, 
both  ancient  and  modern,  have,  in  their  dogmatic 
symbols,  more  or  less  fully,  given  their  conception 
of  a  true  Church.  These  definitions  are  found  in 
their  standard  creeds  and  confessions  of  fait'h;  and 
it  is  to  be  observed  that  they  all  assume  to  start 
with  the  New  Testament  idea.  But  as  they  proceed 
they  do  more  and  more  diverge,  and  complicate  the 
primitive  simplicity  with  their  ecclesiastical  sur- 
roundings, their  educational  prepossessions,  or  with 
what  trusted  authority  decides  a  Church  ought  to 
be,  rather  than  what  it  is. 


A  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  27 

It  may  be  noted  that  our  Savior  used  the  term 
Ekklesia  but  on  two  occasions,  in  both  briefly,  and 
without  definitions  or  explanations,  as  reported  in 
the  Gospel  narratives — Matt.  16:  18;  18:  17.  His 
oft-repeated  expression  was,  "the  Kingdom,"  "the 
Kingdom  of  God,"  many  times  repeated ;  "  the 
Kingdom  of  heaven;"  "the  Son  of  man  coming  in 
His  Kingdom;"  "  my  Kingdom;"  "  the  children  of 
the  Kingdom."  Now,  it  is  manifest  that  the  Kmgdom 
and  the  Church  are  vitally  related,  but  not  identical. 
The  Kingdom  is  a  fact  in  the  world,  being  a  moral 
and  spiritual  reign  of  truth  and  righteousness  in  the 
hearts  and  lives  of  men,  Christ  Himself  being  King, 
His  word  law,  and  His  Spirit  the  indwelling  life. 
But  there  is  no  outward  form,  no  organization,  no 
corporate  life.  The  Church  is  the  outward,  visible, 
organic  expression  and  development  of  this  spirit- 
ual, real,  but  invisible  Kingdom  of  Christ ;  not  a 
perfect  counterpart,  but  an  imperfect  representation; 
since  the  Church  may  contain  some  not  in  the 
Kingdom,  and  the  Kingdom  may  contain  many  not 
in  the  churches. 

The  Latin  Church  gives  this  definition  of  a 
Church : 

"The  company  of  Christians  knit  together  by  the  profes- 
sion of  the  same  faith,  and  the  communion  of  the  same 
sacraments,  under  the  government  of  lawful  pastors,  and 
especially  of  the  Roman  bishop,  as  the  only  vicar  of  Christ 
on  earth." — Bellarntine  De  Eccl.  Mil.,  III.,  2. 

The  Greek  Church  gives  this  definition : 

"The  Church  is  a  divinely  instituted  community  of  men, 


28  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

united  by  the  orthodox  faith,  the  law  of  God,  the  Hierarchy, 
and  the  sacraments." — Full  Catec.  of  the  Orthodox  Est. 
Church. 

The  Church  of  England  defines  after  this 
manner : 

"  A  congregation  of  faithful  men,  in  which  the  pure  Word 
of  God  is  preached,  and  the  sacraments  duly  administered 
according  to  Christ's  ordinances,  in  all  those  things  that  of 
necessity  are  requisite  to  the  same." — Thirty-Nine  Articles, 
Art.  XIX. 

The  Augsburg  Confession  has  the  following : 

"A  congregation  of  saints,  in  which  the  gospel  is  purely 
preached,  and  the  sacraments  are  rightly  administered." 
—Aug.  Con/.,  Art.  VII. 

The  Helvetic  Confession  states  it  thus  : 

*'  The  Church  is  a  community  of  believers,  or  saints,  gath- 
ered out  of  the  world,  whose  distinction  is  to  know  and  to 
worship,  through  the  Word  and  by  the  Spirit,  the  true  God 
m  Christ  the  Savior." — Helv.  Conf.,  Art.  XVII. 

The  Belgic  Confession  gives  this  definition  : 

"A  true  congregation  or  assembly  of  all  faithful  Chris- 
tians, who  look  for  their  salvation  only  from  Jesus  Christ,  as 
being  washed  by  His  blood  and  sanctified  by  His  Spirit." 
—Belg.  Con/.,  Art.  XXVII. 

The  Saxon  Confession  defines  in  these  words  : 

"  A  congregation  of  men  embracing  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
and  rightly  using  the  sacraments." — Saxon  Con/.,  Art.  XII. 

The  Scottish  Confession  puts  it  in  these  words : 

"The  Church  is  a  society  of  the  elect  of   all  ages  ar.d 


A  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  29 

countries,  both  Jews  and  Gentiles;  this  is  the  Catholic,  or 
universal  Church.  This  Church  is  invisible,  and  known  only 
to  God."— 5^^/.  Conf.,  Art.  XVI. 

The  Westminster  Assembly's  definition  is  this: 

"Particular  Churches  in  the  primitive  times  were  made 
up  of  visible  saints,  viz.,  of  such  as  being  of  age,  professing 
faith  in  Christ,  according  to  the  rules  of  faith  and  life  taught 
by  Christ  and  his  Apostles,  and  of  their  children."* — West. 
Assem.  Directory ;  Neats  Hist.  Puritans,  Vol.  II.,  p.  ^bg. 
Appendix. 

Baptists  have  attached  less  importance  to  creed 
statements  than  most  other  denominations.  Never- 
theless they,  too,  have  some  historical  symbols 
which  they  respect  and  use,  but  to  which  they  are 
not  bound. 

A  Confession  of  Faith,  issued  by  seven  Bap- 
tist Churches  in  London,  put  forth  A.  D.  1643,  ^.s 
a  vindication  from  the  aspersions  and  calumnies  of 
their  opponents  and  enemies,  defines  a  Church  as 
follows :  * 

"  Jesus  Christ  hath  here  on  the  earth  a  spiritual  kingdom 
which  is  His  Church,  whom  He  hath  purchased  and  redeemed 
to  Himself,  as  a  peculiar  inheritance  :  which  Church  is  a  com- 
pany of  visible  saints,  called  and  separated  from  the  world 
by  the  Word  and  Spirit  of  God,  to  the  visible  profession  of 
the  faith  of  the  gospel;  being  baptized  into  that  faith,  and 
joined  to  the  Lord,  and  to  each  other,  by  mutual  agreement, 
m  the  practical  enjoyment  of  the  ordinances  by  Christ  their 
head  and  King."— ^^/.  Conf.,  1643,  Art.  XXXIII. 

*See  Schafl's  Creeds  of  Christendom;  Smith's  Bible  Diet.;  Ap- 
pend. B.,  Art.  Ch. ;  Cyclop.  Bib.  Eccl.  and  Theo.  Lit.  Art.  Ch., 
ttaU 


36  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY, 

A  Baptist  Confession,  put  forth  by  the  elders 
and  brethren  of  many  Baptist  congregations  in  Lon- 
don, 1677,  evidently  based  on  that  of  1643,  and 
adopted  by  the  ''General  Assembly"  of  ministers 
and  delegates  of  more  than  one  hundred  "baptized 
Churches,"  in  1689,  says: 

"The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  collecteth  out  of  the  world  to 
Himself,  through  the  ministry  of  His  Word  by  His  Spirit, 
those  that  are  given  to  Him  by  the  Father,  that  they  may 
walk  before  Him  in  all  the  ways  of  obedience,  which  He  pre- 
scribeth  to  them  in  His  Word.  Those  thus  called  He  com- 
mandeth  to  walk  together  in  particular  societies  or  churches, 
for  their  mutual  edification,  and  the  due  performance  of  the 
public  worship  which  He  requireth  of  them  in  the  world. 
The  members  of  these  churches  are  saints  by  calling,  visibly 
manifesting  and  evidencing  their  obedience  unto  the  call  of 
Christ;  and  do  willingly  consent  to  walk  according  to  the 
appointment  of  Christ,  giving  up  themselves  to  the  Lord,  and 
one  to  another,  by  the  will  of  God,  in  professed  subjection 
to  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel."* — Art.  XXVI.,  sees,  j,  6. 

The  New  Hampshire  Confession  more  briefly 
gives  the  following  definition  of  a  Church : 

"  A  visible  Church  of  Christ  is  a  congregation  of  baptized 
believers,  associated  by  covenant  in  the  faith  and  fellowship 
of  the  Gospel;  observing  the  ordinances  of  Christ,  governed 
by  his  law,  exercising  the  gifts,  rights,  and  privileges  invested 
in  them  by  His  Word."— A^.  H.  Con/.,  Art.  XVI. 

*  In  1742  the  old  Philadelphia  Association  adopted,  with  some 
additions  and  changes,  this  English  Confession  of  1689,  since 
which  it  has  been  known  in  this  country  as  "  The  Philadelphia 
Confession." 


A  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  3i 

IV.      SIGNS    OF   A   TRUE   CHURCH. 

By  what  signs,  notes,  or  attributes  may  a  true 
Church  of  Christ  be  known  ? 

To  this  question  the  Roman  Catholic  Catechism 
answers:  ''Unity,  holiness,  catholicity,  apostolicity, 
and  perpetuity."  To  these,  Bellarmine  and  others, 
from  the  ultra  papal  standpoint,  add  various  others. 
These  attributes  Protestants  accept  as  signs,  only 
with  their  own  definitions.  But,  if  accepted,  they 
must  be  predicated,  to  a  certain  extent,  of  '*  the  in- 
visible, universal  Church."  More  distinctively  Prot- 
estant, however,  are  added  these  marks,  oft-repeated 
in  their  definitions,  "  the  preaching  of  the  pure  Word 
of  God,  and  the  right  administration  of  the  sacra- 
ments." But  these  have  reference  rather  to  the  ac- 
tion of  the  Church's  life,  than  to  the  substance  of 
that  life — to  what  is  done  in  the  Church,  rather  than 
to  what  constitutes  the  Church. 

I.  Unity.  This  is  true  from  the  New  Testament 
point  of  view,  which  Baptists  emphatically  accept  as 
thus  taught:  **  Endeavoring  to  keep  the  unity  of  the 
Spirit,  in  the  bond  of  peace.  There  is  one  body,  and 
one  Spirit,  even  as  ye  are  called  in  one  hope  of 
your  calling;  one  Lord,  one  faith,  and  one  baptism; 
one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is  above  all,  and 
through  all,  and  in  you  all." — Eph.  4 :  3-6.  There  is 
one  head — Christ.  There  is  one  body — the  Church. 
But  the  doctrine  that  the  unity  of  the  Church  consists 
in  the  combination  of  many  separate  congregations 
of  Christians  into  one  general  or  universal  assembly 


32  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

of  like  faith  and  order,  whether  taught  by  Catholics 
or  Protestants,  is  not  taught  in  the  Scriptures,  and  is 
repudiated  by  Baptists.  There  is,  however,  a  spir- 
itual unity  in  the  *'  Communion  of  Saints,"  existing 
among  all  who  are  truly  born  of  God,  however  vari- 
ous and  dissimilar  their  ecclesiastical  polity  and 
relations  may  be. 

2.  Holiness.  This  marks  a  true  Church,  because 
only  such  as  are  born  of  the  Spirit,  and  become 
"  new  creatures  in  Christ  Jesus"  are  suitable  persons 
to  be,  or  can  properly  become,  members  of  it.  They 
are  called  "saints,"  sanctified  ones.  "Unto  the 
Church  of  God,  which  is  at  Corinth,  to  them  that  are 
sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus,  called  to  be  saints." — i  Cor. 
I  :2.  "As  the  elect  of  God,  holy  and  beloved." — 
Col.  3  :  12.  "  Ye  also,  as  lively  stones,  are  built  up 
a  spiritual  house,  a  holy  priesthood,  to  offer  spiritual 
sacrifices." — i  Peter  2  :  5.  This  holiness  may  not  be 
perfect  and  absolute  as  to  any  one  member,  much 
less  as  to  the  entire  body;  nevertheless  it  is  what 
the  gospel  claims,  and  is  the  prevailing  mark  of 
those  who  are  united  to  Christ,  as  the  branch  is  to 
the  vine.  Being  characteristic,  therefore,  of  individ- 
ual believers,  it  becomes  characteristic  of  the  con- 
gregation of  believers.  But  the  papal  claim  that 
holiness  comes  from  a  union  with  that,  as  the  only 
true  Church,  is  an  absurd  fiction,  not  to  be  credited, 
or  seriously  considered. 

3.  Catholicity.  Various  ecclesiastical  establish- 
ments arrogate,  each  to  itself,  universality,  and 
claim  to  be  the  only  "  Catholic  Church."     Such  a 


A  CHRISTIAN   CHURCH.  33 

claim  is  made  by  the  Latin,  the  Greek,  the  English, 
and  other  prelatical  systems.  Such  claims,  how- 
ever, have  no  foundation  whatever  in  the  historical, 
or  doctrinal  teachings  of  the  New  Testament.  But 
if  catholicity  may  be  interpreted  to  mean  a  recog- 
nition of  the  essential  spiritual  unity  of  the  faith  in 
all  of  Christ's  redeemed  people,  and  a  willingness 
to  accord  sainthood  to  all  of  every  name  and  nation 
who  bear  the  image  and  have  the  spirit  of  their 
Lord,  then  every  congregation  of  evangelical  disci- 
ples is  a  Catholic  Church.  '*  Of  a  truth  I  perceive 
that  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons;  but  in  every 
nation,  he  that  feareth  Him,  and  worketh  righteous- 
ness, is  accepted  of  Him." — Acts  10:34,  35.  "For 
the  same  Lord  over  all,  is  rich  unto  all  that  call 
upon  Him." — Rom.  10: 12. 

4.  Apostolicity.  It  is  the  claim  of  the  Roman, 
and  of  some  other  prelatical  and  High-Church  com- 
munions, that  they  have  an  unbroken  succession  of 
ministerial  gifts  and  ordinations  direct  from  the 
Apostles — what  is  sometimes  termed  **  the  historical 
episcopate."  And  if  a  succession  in  the  ministry, 
then  a  succession  largely  also  in  Church  order,  and 
sacramental  efficacy.  This  claim  is  historically 
groundless,  and  doctrinally  useless.  But  the  true  apos- 
tolicity consists  not  in  succession,  but  in  possession; 
for  they  who  possess  and  exhibit  the  doctrines,  the 
spirit  and  the  life  of  the  Apostles,  have  right  to 
claim  this  mark  of  a  true  gospel  Church.  "  For 
ether  foundation  can  no  man  lay,  than  that  is  laid, 
which  is  Jesus  Christ." — i  Cor.  3:11.  **  Now  there- 
S 


34  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

fore  ye  are  no  more  strangers  and  foreigners,  but 
fellow  citizens  with  the  saints,  and  of  the  household 
of  God;  and  are  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the 
Apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ  Himself  being 
the  chief  corner-stone." — Eph,  2:  19,  20. 

5.  Perpetuity.  This  has  reference,  not  to  a  con- 
tinuance of  official  administration,  as  in  the  previous 
note,  but  to  visible  and  corporate  Church  life.  And, 
strange  to  say,  some  Baptists  have  been  cour- 
ageous enough,  and  indiscreet  enough  to  assert  that 
an  unbroken  succession  of  visible,  organized  congre- 
gations of  believers  similar  to  their  own,  and  there- 
fore substantially  like  the  primitive  churches,  can 
be  proven  to  have  existed  from  the  Apostles  until 
now.  Such  claims  may  well  be  left  to  papal  audacity. 
For  those  who  learn  from  that  storehouse  of  sacred 
truth — the  New  Testament — what  are  the  spirit,  doc- 
trine, ordinances,  and  polity  of  a  Church  of  Christ, 
and  practice  the  same,  it  matters  nothing  whether 
the  chain  of  organic  perpetuity  may  never  have 
been  broken,  or  broken  a  thousand  times.  They  are 
the  true  disciples  of  Christ  who  have  His  spirit;  the 
true  successors  of  the  Apostles  who  follow  their 
teachings,  and  imitate  their  lives.  "  They  continued 
steadfastly  in  the  Apostles'  doctrine,  and  fellow- 
ship, and  in  breaking  of  bread,  and  in  prayers." — 
Acts  2  142.  *•  And  you  being  in  time  past  alienated 
and  enemies  in  your  mind,  by  wicked  works,  yet 
now  hath  He  reconciled,  in  the  body  of  His  flesh, 
through  death,  to  present  you  holy  and  without 
blemish,  and  unreprovable  before  Him;  if  so  be  that 


A  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  35 

ye  continue  in  the  faith,  grounded  and  steadfast,  and 
be  not  moved  away  from  the  hope  of  the  gospel." — 
Col.  I  :  21-23. 

Strictly  speaking,  perpetuity  is  predicated  of  the 
invisible  Church  only.  It  is  "  the  kingdom  of  heav- 
en" on  earth;  "the  Messiah's  reign,"  which  is  per- 
petual. "  In  the  days  of  these  kings  shall  the  God 
of  heaven  set  up  a  kingdom  which  shall  never  be 
destroyed." — Dan.  2:44.  **  But  the  saints  of  the 
Most  High  shall  take  the  kingdom,  and  possess  the 
kingdom  forever,  even  forever  and  ever." — Dan. 
7  :i8.  *'  Upon  this  rock  will  I  build  my  Church,  and 
the  gates  of  Hades  shall  not  prevail  against  it." — 
Matt.  16:18.  *'Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even 
unto  the  end  of  the  world." — Matt.  28  :  20. 

But  visible  churches — local  congregations — are 
largely  subject  to  the  mutations  of  human  society. 
They  rise  and  fall ;  they  grow  and  decay ;  they 
flourish,  decline  and  disappear.  Many  a  "candle- 
stick" has  been  removed  out  of  its  place,  and  many 
more  will  be.  But  the  cause  is  imperishable,  and 
the  foundations  shall  never  be  removed. 

V.      NOT   A   CONFEDERATION. 

A  Christian  Church,  therefore,  is  not  a  confedera- 
tion of  many  local  congregations,  under  some  one 
general  head,  whether  that  be  a  person,  as  bishop, 
patriarch,  or  pope;  or  under  some  system  of  gov- 
ernment, as  presbytery,  synod,  conference,  or  assem- 
bly. It  is  not  an  ecclesiastical  system,  extending 
over  a  wide  area  of  country,  claiming  the  right  of 


36  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

control  over  all  of  similar  faith  within  such  territory. 
Such,  at  least,  is  far  from  the  New  Testament  idea 
of  a  Church.  The  expressions  found  in  the  Acts 
and  the  Epistles  clearly  define  and  fix  the  primitive 
notion  of  a  Church. 

We  read:  "Then  had  the  churches  rest,"  and 
*'  were  established  in  the  faith."  Not  "  the  Church^' 
mark,  as  if  all  disciples  were  grouped  in  one  com- 
prehensive body.  "  The  churches  of  Christ  salute 
you."  "  The  churches  of  Galatia;  "  not  *'  the  Church." 
"The  churches  of  Asia  salute  you."  "Messengers 
of  the  churches^  "The  churches  throughout  all 
Judea  and  Galilee  and  Samaria;"  "the  churches  of 
Macedonia; "  "  the  Church  which  was  at  Jerusalem ;  " 
"  the  Church  of  the  Thessalonians;"  "  the  Church  of 
the  Laodiceans."  "As  I  teach  in  every  Church." 
"  Ordained  elders  in  every  Church."  "  The  Church 
which  is  at  Cenchrea."  "Greet  the  Church  that  is 
in  their  house."  "  If  therefore  the  whole  Church  be 
come  together  into  one  place."  "With  the  Church 
in  their  house."  No  one  can  fail  to  understand  the 
force  of  such  expressions. 

Note  i. — An  organization  of  professing  Christians  may 
fail  in  some  respects  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  Gospel, 
and  still  be  a  Church,  providing  it  fulfills  the  fundamental 
conditions  of  a  Scriptural  faith  and  practice,  holding  the 
headship  of  Christ,  maintaining  the  Ordinances  and  the  mm- 
istry  of  the  word  in  their  purity. 

Note  2. — But  if  it  ceases  to  recognize  and  submit  to  Christ 
as  its  supreme  ruler,  and  to  receive  His  word  as  its  supreme 
law,  then  it  ceases  to  be  a  Church  of  Christ,  though  it  may 


A   CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


37 


still  preserve  its  religious  character  and  retain  many  evangeli- 
cal marks. 

Note  3. — No  Church,  however  sound  its  orthodoxy,  or 
perfect  its  order,  can  fulfill  the  conditions  of  its  existence 
without  the  indwelling  life  of  Christ  in  its  members,  they 
ivalking  in  the  Spirit,  and  not  fulfilling  the  lusts  of  the  flesh. 
Its  importance  and  efficacy,  therefore,  depend  not  on  mere 
mechanical  conformity  to  any,  even  a  divine  model,  so  much 
as  on  the  life  and  power  of  godliness  in  its  constituent  ele- 
ments. 

VI.      ANALOGICAL   DEFINITIONS. 

The  Church  is  not  unfrequently  spoken  of  in  the 
New  Testament  in  figurative  language,  in  which 
certain  analogies  are  suggested,  in  the  use  of  which 
the  nature,  purpose  and  relations  of  this  institution 
are  more  clearly  represented.  The  fact  that  these 
tropes  were  not  intended  as  logical  definitions,  and 
do  only  incidentally  define,  makes  them  perhaps  the 
more  interesting.  The  similarities  elucidate,  and 
the  comparisons,  so  far  as  they  were  intended  to  ap- 
ply, are  accurate  and  instructing. 

"  And  gave  Him  to  behead  over  all  things  to  the 
Church,  which  is  His  body." — Eph.  1:22.  Christ 
the  head,  and  the  Church  His  body.  This  is  equally 
true  of  the  Church  universal  and  invisible,  and  of  the 
Church  local  and  visible.  Head  over  all  things, 
and  in  all  respects.  The  head  is  the  intelligent 
director,  the  authoritative  lawgiver,  to  the  body, 
and  furnishes  the  will-force  for  active  obedience. 
The  Church  as  the  body  is  to  obey  the  directions, 
and  to  execute  the  authoritative  mandates  of  Christ, 


38  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

the  head.  The  figure  indicates  the  intimate,  sensi- 
tive, and  sacred  relation  existing  between  Christ  and 
His  people.  Also  observe,  there  are  not  many 
heads,  but  one  only — Christ.  A  many-headed  body 
would  be  a  monstrosity.  In  God's  methods  and 
operations  there  are  the  beauty  and  the  symmetry  of  a 
sacred  unity. 

**  Husbands,  love  your  wives,  even  as  Christ  also 
loved  the  Church,  and  gave  Himself  for  it."  **  So 
ought  men  to  love  their  wives  as  their  own  bodies  " 
"For  no  man  ever  yet  hated  his  own  flesh;  but 
nourisheth  it,  even  as  the  Lord  the  Church."  ''  This 
is  a  great  mystery;  but  I  speak  concerning  Christ 
and  the  Church." — Eph.  5:  23-32.  Here  the  relation 
subsisting  between  Christ  and  the  Church,  is  illus- 
trated by  the  relations  of  husband  and  wife.  A  re- 
lationship intimate,  tender,  affectionate,  sacred;  on 
the  recognition  of  which  relations,  cherishing  their 
proper  spirit,  and  discharging  their  implied  obliga- 
tions, depends  the  success  of  the  purpose  for  which 
they  exist.  If  to  the  husband  be  accorded,  in  the 
divine  economy,  headship  over  the  wife,  it  is  not  for 
her  servile  subjection,  but  for  the  common  good  ; 
and  that  his  affection,  protection,  and  support,  may 
be  made  the  more  manifest,  and  the  more  abiding. 
If  the  Church  is  to  be  subject  to,  and  directed  by,  its 
Head,  it  knows  that  "  Christ  loved  the  Church,  and 
gave  Himself  for  it."  And  if  He  seems  exacting  in 
His  requirements,  for  its  service  and  its  sanctity,  it 
is,  **  that  He  might  present  it  to  Himself,  a  glorious 
Church,  not  having  spot,or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing." 


A   CHRISTIAN   CHURCH.  39 

'*  The  house  of  God,  which  is  the  Church  of  the 
living  God,  the  pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth." — 
I  Tim.  3  :  15.  If  *'the  pillar  and  ground  of  the 
truth  "  refer  to  the  '*  Church  of  the  living  God,"  as  is 
almost  universally  conceded,  and  indeed  is  almost 
necessary  to  suppose,  and  not  to  the  "  mystery  of 
godliness,"  as  some  would  make  to  appear,  but  which 
would  seem  forced  and  harsh,  then  we  have  a  vivid 
conception  of  the  importance  of  each  individual  con- 
gregation of  the  saints,  as  the  organized  unit  of  the 
'*  kingdom  of  heaven,"  in  the  world.  The  pillar  sup- 
ports the  superincumbent  portion  of  the  building. 
The  ground^  literally  foundation^  is  that  on  which 
the  building  rests,  and  upon  which  it  is  reared. 
Thus,  while  in  an  emphatic  sense  Christ  is  the  only 
foundation  for  the  faith  of  saints,  the  hope  of  souls, 
yet  in  a  very  important  sense  does  the  Church  be- 
come the  support  of  all  Christian  endeavor,  whether 
for  the  edification  or  the  sanctification  of  the  saints, 
or  the  spread  of  the  gospel  and  the  evangelization 
of  the  world.  As  a  historical  fact  the  churches  of 
Christ  have  acted  this  part,  and  served  this  purpose, 
and  are  now  serving  it — indeed,  this  is  the  very  end 
for  which  they  were  instituted.  Without  them,  all 
those  Christian  activities  which  are  filling  the  world 
with  light  and  blessing,  would  soon  become  inert 
and  fail.  It  is  from  beneath  the  threshold  of  the 
sanctuary,  the  river  of  life  flows  forth  to  the  nations. 
**  Out  of  Zion,  the  perfection  of  beauty,  God  hath 
shined." — Ps.  50:2.  No  human  influence  is  so  much 
a  pillar  and  foundation  to  the  truth  as  a  spiritual, 


40  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

orderly,  active  Church,  composed  of  godly  members, 
well  ordered  and  faithful  to  their  Lord. 

But  may  there  not  be  a  still  further  resemblance, 
intended  or  implied,  in  this  use  of  the  ''pillar  ?  "  The 
stylos  often  had  a  memorial  as  well  as  an  architec- 
tural value.  The  obelisk  was  reared  to  perpetuate 
the  memory  of  great  men,  and  of  noble  deeds.  It 
preserved  the  records  of  historical  events,  and  both 
instructed  and  inspired  succeeding  generations,  by 
its  inscribed  memorials.  It  cultivated  a  becoming 
pride  in  national  character,  and  sustained  a  worthy 
patriotism  for  national  defence.  The  churches  of 
Christ  are  monumental.  Their  preservation  is 
miraculous  ;  their  very  existence  is  a  wonder.  They 
perpetuate  the  grandest  events  in  human  history  : 
the  Incarnation,  the  Crucifixion,  the  Resurrection, 
the  Ascension,  and  the  Mediation  of  Christ.  They 
do  not  simply  honor  the  name  and  the  deeds  of  the 
greatest  and  best  of  men,  but  of  Him  who  is  Lord 
of  lords,  and  King  of  kings.  In  all  senses  each  true 
Church  is  a  pillar  for  Him,  who  is  the  Truth,  and  aids 
to  support  and  to  proclaim  the  profound  mystery 
of  godliness. 

'*  Ye  are  God's  building."  "  Know  ye  not  that  ye 
are  the  temple  of  God,  and  that  the  Spirit  of  God 
dwelleth  in  you } " — i  Cor.  3:  9-17.  This  is  true,  in  a 
very  important  sense,  of  each  individual  Christian. 
But  here  it  was  declared  true  of  the  Corinthian 
Church.  The  Apostle  asserted  that  he  had  laid  the 
foundation  of  the  edifice,  and  others  had  built  upon 
it.    He  declares  the  building  to  be  holy,  as  the  shrines 


A  CHRISTIAN   CHURCH.  4I 

of  heathen  gods  even,  were  supposed  to  be;  and 
cautions  them  not  to  defile  this  sanctuary.  It  is  the 
abiding  presence  of  the  Spirit  in  a  Church,  that  gives 
importance  to  its  existence,  and  efficacy  to  its  minis- 
trations. As  a  mere  human  organization  it  would 
not  rise  above  the  level  of  other  moral  and  benev- 
olent institutions.  But  the  divine  element  in  it  lifts 
it  to  a  loftier  position.  An  ornate  and  costly  ma- 
terial structure,  a  magnificent  and  imposing  ritual, 
numbers,  wealth,  fashion,  social  attractions,  can  never 
meet  the  demand,  nor  realize  the  sacred  purpose 
of  the  churches'  life,  without  the  indwelling  presence 
of  the  Spirit,  as  the  presence  of  the  Shekinah  in  the 
Tabernacle  of  old. 

All  this  is  suggestive  to  those  who  are  active  in 
planting,  and  laborious  in  building  up  the  churches. 
No  mistake  should  be  made  as  to  what  manner  of 
institutions  they  are  to  be.  A  salutary  discipline  is 
implied,  as  is  elsewhere  plainly  enjoined,  since  **  the 
temple  of  God  is  holy."  While  this  spiritual  house 
"groweth  up,"  each  one  in  his  place,  and  according 
to  his  ability,  is  to  aid  in  rearing  the  sacred  edifice, 
and  at  the  same  time  each  member  as  a  "  living 
stone,"  is  "  builded  together  for  a  habitation  of  God 
through  the  Spirit." — Eph.  2  :  22.  But  Christ  is  the 
"  Chief  Corner-stone,"  and  the  abiding  life,  **  in 
whom  all  the  building,  fitly  framed  together,  groweth 
unto  a  holy  temple  in  the  Lord." — Eph.  2:21. 

*'  As  we  have  therefore  opportunity,  let  us  do  good 
to  all,  especially  unto  them  who  are  of  the  house- 
hold of  faith." — Gal.  4  :  10.     Here  the  household,  or 


42  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

family  idea,  represents  the  Church  in  the  Apostle's 
mind,  and  gives  direction  to  his  counsel.  The  chap- 
ter begins  with  directions  as  to  the  proper  spirit  in 
which  disciplinary  culture  is  to  be  administered  in 
the  churches;  for  this  epistle  is  dedicated,  not  to 
the  saints  at  large, ''  but  unto  the  churches  of  Galatia." 
By  a  natural  and  easy  transition  the  writer  con- 
ceives of  each  particular  Church  as  a  family,  a 
household,  where  mutual  affection  should  rule;  the 
members  careful  for  each  other's  good,  bearing  one 
another's  burdens,  and  with  fraternal  solicitude, 
striving  to  restore  to  the  truth  such  as  are  faulty 
and  out  of  the  way.  A  similar  idea  underlies  the 
Apostle's  address  to  the  Ephesian  Church.  **  Now, 
therefore,  ye  are  no  more  strangers  and  sojourners^ 
but  ye  are  fellow-citizens  with  the  saints,  and  of  the 
household  of  God." — Eph.  2  :  19.  Here  is  a  double 
metaphor.  The  Church  is  likened  to  a  state,  a  com- 
monwealth, of  which  the  saints  have  been  made  citi- 
zens, now  no  longer  strangers,  temporarily  sojourn- 
ing, but  naturalized  and  permanently  abiding,  en- 
titled to  all  the  immunities  of  citizens  native  born. 
And  then,  in  a  narrowed  circle,  but  a  more  in- 
timate and  sacred  relationship,  they  are  represented 
as  members  of  the  holy  family  of  God,  the  Father. 
And  if  it  may  be  said  that  ih.Q  family  here  bears  a  more 
general  signification,  a  wider  application  than  to  the 
individual  Church,  yet  it  must  be  remembered  that 
the  whole  address  is  to  a  particular  Church,  "  the 
saints  which  are  at  Ephesus;"  and  out  of  this  spe- 
cific  idea   grows   the   more   general  notion  of  the 


A  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  43 

larger  fellowship  of  the  saints,  which  the  tropes  sup- 
ply, of  citizenship  in  the  state  and  membership  in  the 
family.  Thus,  again  to  the  Ephesians,  Paul  says,  "I 
bow  my  knees  unto  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  of  whom  the  whole  family  in  heaven  and  on 
earth  is  named." — Eph.  3:15.  Or,  as  the  New  Ver- 
sion renders  it,  "  from  whom  every  family  in  heaven 
and  on  earth  is  named."  The  thought  is  distributive, 
and  the  conception  is  individualized.  If  the  idea  be 
that  of  the  completed  company  of  the  saints,  the 
Church  universal  both  above  and  below,  it  mani- 
festly aggregates  it  out  of  all  the  individual  families 
of  the  faithful,  the  separate  and  distinct  churches  of 
Christ,  called  to  be  saints. 

In  the  closing  chapter  of  the  Revelation  we  have 
the  Church  idea  brought  to  view  in  a  somewhat 
strange  commingling  of  figures.  But  it  is  the  Church 
triumphant;  and  the  unusual  mixing  of  the  metaphors 
gives  a  strange  and  vivid  picturesqueness  and 
beauty  to  the  conception.  It  represents  the  com- 
pany of  the  saved,  both  as  a  bride ^  and  as  a  city,  and 
Christ  as  a  bridegroom,  and  as  a  lamb.  '*  And  I 
John  saw  the  holy  city,  New  Jerusalem,  coming 
down  from  God,  out  of  heaven,  prepared  as  a  bride 
adorned  for  her  husband.  And  there  came  unto 
me  one  of  the  seven  angels  ....  saying,  'Come 
hither,  and  I  will  show  thee  the  bride,  the  Lamb's 
wife.'  And  he  carried  me  away  in  the  spirit  to  a  great 
and  high  mountain,  and  showed  me  that  great 
city,  the  holy  Jerusalem,  descending  out  of  heaven 
from  God." — Rev.  21:2,  9,  10.     The  purity,  beauty 


44  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

and  glory  of  the  redeemed  saints  are  implied  in  the 
bridal  relation,  and  the  affection  of  the  Lamb,  who 
is  the  Bridegroom,  and  his  joy  at  the  final  reception 
of  his  bride,  so  beautiful,  for  whom  he  had  suffered  so 
much,  and  waited  so  long,  that  he  might  present 
her  to  himself,  **a  glorious  Church,  not  having 
spot  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing."  It  realizes  the 
prophet's  declaration  to  Zion,  "  As  the  bridegroom 
rejoiceth  over  the  bride,  so  shall  thy  God  rejoice 
over  thee." — Is.  62:  5.  The  added  conception  of  a 
city  to  represent  the  company  of  glorified  saints, 
may  imply  the  transcendent  glory  of  the  final  habi- 
tation of  the  righteous;  and  that  the  Church  trium- 
phant shall  be  orderly  and  active  as  well  as  blissful 
and  glorious;  governed  by  a  polity  as  really  as  is  the 
Church  militant,  law-abiding  and  obedient,  under 
the  joyous  and  loving  reign  of  their  Lord,  the  prince 
of  life,  "the  King  eternal,  immortal,  invisible." 

Thus  the  teachings  of  Scripture  as  to  the  Church 
idea  do  show  the  peculiar  place  in  human  society 
which  this  sacred  brotherhood,  this  divinely  ap- 
pointed institution  holds,  as  well  as  explains  the 
purpose  which,  in  the  economy  of  redemption,  and 
in  God's  purposes  of  mercy  to  a  lost  world,  the 
Church  was  designed  to  serve. 

VII.      THE   NATURE   OF   A   CHURCH. 

The  Christian  Church  is  the  only  divinely  organ- 
ized society  among  men.  It  was  instituted  for  a 
purpose  by  Christ,  who  gave  to  it  laws,   and  an 


A  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  45 

economy  of  methods  and  order  by  which  to  accom- 
plish its  sacred  mission,  and  who  still  retains  head- 
ship and  kingship  over  it.  A  Church  is  the  "  Society 
of  Jesus"  in  a  truer  and  better  sense  than  Loyola 
knew  when  founding  the  order  of  Jesuits.  Each 
such  organized  company  of  saints  constitutes  a  body 
politic  in  a  spiritual  realm;  in  the  world,  but  not  of 
it;  being  able  to  maintain  its  existence  and  discharge 
its  functions  in  all  conditions  of  social  and  civil  life, 
under  all  forms  of  human  government:  while  not 
untrue  to  any,  yet  is  in  subjection  to  none,  but  gives 
allegiance  to  a  foreign  potentate,  '*  the  Prince  of  the 
kings  of  the  earth."  Jesus  said,  *'My  kingdom  is 
not  of  this  world." — John  18:36.  And  of  his  disci- 
ples he  said,  "  They  are  not  of  the  world  even  as  I 
am  not  of  the  world." — ^John  17: 16. 

Members  of  the  Church  have  all  the  rights,  privi- 
leges, and  immunities  of  citizens  in  civil  government, 
as  others  have,  and  owe  allegiance  to  that  under 
which  they  live,  in  all  matters  temporal,  so  long  as 
such  allegiance  does  not  interfere  with  perfect  obe- 
dience to  the  claims  of  Christ  upon  them.  But  if 
human  laws,  and  the  demands  of  human  govern- 
ments, contravene  the  divine  claim,  or  in  any  way 
interfere  with  the  rights  of  conscience  or  religious 
faith,  and  the  freedom  of  belief  and  worship,  then  God 
is  to  be  obeyed  rather  than  man.  His  claims  are 
supreme,  and  annihilate  all  rival  claims.  "Render 
unto  Caesar  the  things  that  are  Caesar's,  and  to  God 
the  things  that  are  God's."  Christian  men  should 
be  good  and  law-abiding  citizens,  unless  obedience 


46  THE   NEW   DmECTORY. 

to  human  law  demands  a  violation  of  divine  law. 
Their  fealty  to  the  higher  law  must  be  prompt  and 
unquestioned.  **  Submit  yourselves  to  every  ordi- 
nance of  man,  for  the  Lord's  sake  ;  whether  it  be  to 
the  king  as  supreme,  or  unto  governors,  as  unto 
them  that  are  sent  by  him  for  the  punishment  of 
evil  doers,  and  for  the  praise  of  them  that  do  well. 
For  so  is  the  will  of  God,  that  with  well-doing  ye 
may  put  to  silence  the  ignorance  of  foolish  men."— 
I  Peter  2:13-15.  As  to  things  spiritual,  the  state 
has  no  right  of  control  over,  or  interference  with, 
them.  Matters  of  conscience,  faith,  and  worship  the 
civil  power  has  no  right  to  meddle  with,  so  long  as 
the  government  is  not  injured,  nor  the  rights  of  others 
put  in  jeopardy  by  their  exercise. 

The  nature  of  a  Church  is  very  different  from  that 
of  other  societies  and  associations.  Its  members 
may  be  connected  with  other  organizations,  whose 
objects  contemplate  the  furtherance  of  commerce, 
literature,  science  or  the  arts  ;  they  may  be  moral, 
philanthropic,  and  even  religious.  But  they  do  not 
reach  the  high  ideal  of  the  Church's  vocation,  nor 
fill  the  broad  sphere  of  the  Church's  mission.  That 
is  no  less  than  the  glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  of 
souls.  Fellowship  in  such  other  associations  will 
be  consistent  and  harmless — it  may  be  even  com- 
mendable— providing  the  objects  they  seek,  and  the 
methods  by  which  they  are  sought,  be  consistent 
with  Christian  morals ;  and  providing,  also,  their 
duties  to  these  in  no  way  interfere  with  their  duties 
:o,  and  usefulness  in,  the  Church,  whose  claims  are 


A  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  47 

first  and  most  imperative.  In  such  other  associa- 
tions good  may  be  accompHshed  by  the  wider  dif- 
fusion of  intelligence,  the  cultivation  of  social 
morals  and  of  public  virtue,  the  mitigation  of  human 
suffering,  and  the  advancement  of  a  true  civiliza- 
tion. 

All  these  aims  are  good,  and  all  good  men  should 
encourage  them.  But  all  these  aims  are  contem- 
plated by  a  Christian  Church,  and  can  and  will  be 
better  reached  by  a  Church,  if  true  to  its  calling  and 
mission,  than  by  any  other  society ;  while  beyond 
and  above  all  these  remains  the  one  special  and 
unique  object  of  the  Church's  life,  which  all  other  so- 
cieties lack  ;  a  regenerated  humanity,  in  order  to  con- 
stitute the  ultimate  '*  Church  of  the  first-born,  which 
are  written  in  heaven." — Heb.  12:23.  ^^^  riot  He 
who  founded  the  Church,  who  knew  what  was  in  man, 
and  who  understood  the  world  He  came  to  save, 
who  gave  Himself  to  restore  the  divine  image  in 
man,  and  the  divine  authority  over  man,  know  what 
sort  of  organized  endeavor,  what  kind  of  a  society 
would  be  best  adapted  to  accomplish  the  simple  but 
sublime  object  contemplated  ?  Every  effort  at  social 
virtue  and  moral  reform  should  find  its  best  exam- 
ple and  its  most  efficient  advocacy  in  the  Church 
of  God.  It  would  be  a  shame  for  those  who  are 
expressly  set  forth  to  be  the  "  light  of  the  world," 
and  the  '*  salt  of  the  earth,"  to  fall  below  the  stand- 
ard of  goodness  in  worldly  societies,  or  the  concep- 
tions of  virtue  in  carnal  minds.  Then  would  they 
no  longer  be  ''holding  forth  the  word  of  life." 


48  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

VIII.      THE   AUTHORITY   OF   CHURCHES. 

All  associations  of  men  are  supposed  to  possess 
such  and  so  much  authority  as  may  be  needful  to 
control  their  members  within  the  limits  of  their  as- 
sociational  relations,  to  guard  their  organizations 
against  perversion  and  disaster,  and  to  secure  the 
objects  for  which  they  exist.  This  authority  they 
have  the  consequent  right  to  exercise,  and  power 
to  enforce.  It  is  derived  either  from  voluntary  com- 
pact, where  each  individual  surrenders  to  the  body 
a  part  of  his  personal  freedom  of  action,  or  else  is 
conferred  by  some  external  and  superior  authority. 
Thus  with  churches. 

Its  members,  on  uniting  with  a  Church,  do  volun- 
tarily surrender  some  personal  prerogatives,  that 
they  may  be  invested  in  the  body,  the  organic 
whole.  But  such  personally  surrendered  preroga- 
tives constitute  but  a  small  part  of  its  authority. 
Its  chief  authority  is  given  by  Christ  alone.  The 
state  cannot  bestow  it;  nor  can  legislatures,  or 
courts  of  civil  jurisdiction,  or  princes,  or  parliaments, 
either  bestow  or  annul  the  charter  by  right  of  which 
the  churches  of  Christ  exist  and  act.  Quite  as  little 
can  that  authority  emanate  from  any  ecclesiastical 
source,  since  all  ecclesiastical  orders  emanate  from, 
and  grow  out  of,  the  churches,  and  are  created  by 
them  —  do  not  create  them.  Popes,  patriarchs, 
bishops,  priests,  synods,  assemblies,  conventions, 
conferences,  supposing  they  were  Scriptural,  do  not 
make  churches,  but  are  made  by  them;  cannot  in- 


A  CHRISTIAN   CHURCH.  49 

vest  churches  with  authority,  since  they  possess 
no  antecedent  authority  in  the  premises,  but  are  in- 
vested by  the  churches,  directly  or  indirectly,  with 
all  the  authority  they  claim  to  possess.  All  right- 
ful authority,  therefore,  is  conferred  by  Christ,  the 
king  in  Zion.  He  builds  them:  "On  this  rock  will 
I  build  my  Church."  He  commissions  them:  "Go 
ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them 
in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
the  Holy  Ghost."  He  is  personally  ever  with  them, 
superintending,  and  giving  them  success  :  "  Lo,  I  am 
with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world." — 
Matt.  16  :  18  ;  28  :  19,  20.  What  He  does  not  give  is 
not  possessed.  What  He  does  not  sanction  is  not 
legitimate.  What  He  does  bestow  is  a  sacred  trust, 
to  be  guarded  and  used  for  His  purpose  and  praise. 
This,  then,  is  the  source,  and  the  only  authoritative 
source,  of  the  Church's  right  of  rule.  It  can  assume 
none  and  derive  none  from  any  other  source. 

This  authority  a  Church  can  exercise  on  none  but 
its  own  members.  They  can  bring  the  moral  force 
of  their  persuasion,  of  their  consistent  living,  and  of 
their  Christian  character,  to  bear  on  all  around  them, 
as  indeed  they  should;  but  as  to  authoritative  ad- 
ministration, they  can  claim  no  right  of  interference 
with  any  except  those  with  whom  they  hold  cove- 
nant relations  in  the  fellowship  of  the  body.  Said 
the  Apostle  to  the  Corinthians,  "For  what  have  I 
to  do  to  judge  them  also  that  are  without  ?  Do 
not  ye  judge  them  that  are  within  ?  " — i  Cor.  5:12. 
Nor  can  a  Church  exercise  authority  over  its  own 


50  THE   NEW   DIRECTORV. 

members  in  any  respect  except  as  to  spiritual  con- 
cerns. With  their  personal  rights  and  duties  as 
members  of  society,  it  cannot  interfere.  It  cannot 
dictate  what  they  shall  eat  or  drink,  or  wherewithal 
they  shall  be  clothed;  what  business  they  shall  pur- 
sue, what  associations  they  shall  keep,  what  privileges 
they  may  enjoy;  except^  that  in  all  these  they  shall 
do  nothing  which  shall  be  inconsistent  with  their 
position  and  profession  as  Christians  ;  nothing  that 
shall  harm  or  hinder  the  gospel  of  Christ;  nothing 
that  shall  destroy  their  influence  for  good,  place  a 
stumbling-block  in  the  way  of  unconverted  men,  or 
cast  a  reproach  on  the  Christian  name.  And  of  all 
these  questions  the  Church  has  the  right  to  judge. 
The  sphere  of  a  Church's  authority  is  therefore  dis- 
tinctively and  exclusively  moral  and  spiritual. 
Those  so-called  churches,  whether  of  the  past  or 
present,  that  have  assumed  dictatorship  over  theif 
communicants  in  all  matters  both  sacred  and  secu- 
lar, have  forfeited  their  claim  to  be  recognized  as 
true  churches  of  Christ,  and  are  to  be  held  as  relig- 
ious societies  only.  They  have  transcended  all 
proper  bounds,  violating  personal  rights  by  their 
assumptions. 

Nor  yet  can  a  Church  dominate  the  faith  or  con- 
science of  its  members.  With  such  personal  relig- 
ious liberty  no  man,  or  combination  of  men,  has  a 
right  to  interfere.  For  such  liberty  and  its  lawful 
exercise  each  one  is  responsible  to  God  alone.  The 
Church's  authority  goes  not  so  far.  It  can  and 
should  secure  harmony  in  the  faith  and  fellowship 


A  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  5 1 

of  the  body.  But  to  what  extent  it  may  require 
doctrinal  conformity,  and  how  it  should  treat  dis- 
sent, whether  it  may  or  may  not  become  a  court  of 
jurisdiction  in  matters  of  faith,  or  only  of  morals, 
and  whether  its  acts  may  be  punitive,  will  be  con- 
sidered more  at  length  in  the  chapter  on  discipline. 

IX.      THE   COMITY   OF   CHURCHES. 

Churches  hold  relations  of  comity  and  fraternal 
courtesy  with  each  other,  but  sustain  no  legal  gov- 
ernmental or  organic  connections.  No  Church  can 
exercise  discipline  upon  another,  or  for  another,  or 
interfere  in  any  way  with  another's  disciplinary  acts. 
No  member  has  a  right  to  vote  in  the  meeting  of 
any  Church  but  his  own,  or  even  to  be  present  at 
such  a  meeting,  or  participate  in  the  Communion  ex- 
cept by  invitation  and  as  a  matter  of  courtesy.  No 
pastor  has  a  right  to  exercise  his  ministry  in  any 
Church  but  his  own  except  on  invitation.  Churches, 
however,  are  fraternal  and  exchange  courtesies, 
dismiss  members  by  letter  to  each  other,  and  re- 
ceive those  dismissed,  respect  each  other's  disci- 
plinary acts,  but  are  not  bound  by  them.  Pastors 
exchange  pulpits.  Churches  unite  fraternally  in 
associations  for  mutual  benefit  and  for  missionary 
work.  They  bear  themselves  toward  each  other 
with  that  respect  and  affection  which  become  dis- 
ciples of  a  Common  Master,  but  to  talk  of  an  inter- 
dependence of  organic  and  official  Church  life  and 
action,  as  some  have  done,  is  most  absurd.     There 


52  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

is   no  such  thing.     These  questions  will  be  more 
fully  considered  in  another  place. 

X.      CHURCHES  CONSTITUTED. 

Churches  are  constituted  by  voluntary  covenant 
on  the  part  of  those  who  wish  to  become  members. 
The  constitution  of  a  Church,  strictly  speaking,  is  to 
be  found  in  the  New  Testament  only,  as  regards 
both  faith  and  practice.  But  it  is  customary  to 
have  these  formulated,  which  thus  become  creed 
symbols,  and  to  a  certain  extent  serve  as  standards. 
And  though  no  Church  and  no  Church-member  is 
asked  to  sign  them,  or  is  required  to  pledge  allegi- 
ance to  them,  yet  a  general  and  substantial  assent 
and  conformity  to  them  is  expected,  in  order  that 
harmony  in  the  churches  and  among  the  churches 
may  be  secured.  And  this  harmony  is  secured  to  a 
remarkable  degree  among  Baptists,  when  we  con- 
sider the  great  number  of  their  churches,  the  wide 
extent  of  territory  over  which  they  are  scattered, 
and  the  great  diversity  of  social  life,  local  customs, 
and  educational  bias- which  naturally  influence  them; 
and  especially  when  we  consider  the  tenacity  with 
which  they  maintain  the  independence  of  the  indi- 
vidual Church,  and  the  right  of  private  judgment  in 
the  individual  member. 

The  process  by  which  new  churches  are  consti- 
tuted is  very  simple.  The  necessity  for,  and  the 
practicability  of,  organizing  one,  must  be  decided  by 
those  who  are  to  constitute  it,  and  who  are  to  bear 


A   CHRISTIAN    CHURCH.  53 

the  expense  and  the  responsibility  of  its  support. 
These  may  be  persons  belonging  to  some  other 
Church  or  churches,  who  find  themselves  living 
where  there  is  none,  but  where  one  is  believed  to 
be  needed,  and  where  the  increase  of  population 
shows  a  need  for  increased  religious  privileges.  Or 
such  persons  may  be  converts  from  some  recent  re- 
vival in  a  neighborhood  where  there  seems  both 
room  and  a  demand  for  another  Church.  After  ma- 
ture deliberation  on  the  part  of  such  persons,  meet- 
ing together  for  consultation,  canvassing  all  sides  of 
the  question,  taking  counsel  of  wise  and  discreet 
brethren,  with  much  prayer  for  divine  direction — 
since  such  a  movement  is  one  of  grave  concern — 
general  agreement  being  secured,  a  meeting  is 
finally  called  for  the  organization.  A  committee 
most  likely  has  been  previously  appointed  to  secure 
some  approved  form  of  Church  Covenant,  and 
Articles  of  Faith,*  to  be  considered  and  adopted  by 
the  body. 

Before  the  organization  actually  takes  place,  how- 
ever, such  persons  as  propose  to  constitute  the  body, 
should  procure  letters  from  the  churches  of  which 
they  are  members,  given  y<?r  the  purpose  of  forming 
a  new  Church.  Should  there  be  among  them  per- 
sons who  have  been  members  of  regular  Baptist 
churches,  but  have  for  any  reason  lost  their  mem- 

*  Such  a  form  of  Covenant,  prepared  for  this  work,  widely 
adopted,  and  many  years  in  use,  may  be  found  in  this  volume,  as 
also  well-known  and  extensively  used  Articles  of  Faith.  Sec  Ap- 
pendix. 


54  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

bership  without  special  fault  of  their  own,  who  are 
living  consistent  Christian  lives,  and  are  acceptable 
to  the  others,  they  can,  by  consent  of  the  company, 
be  admitted  as  constituent  members.  So  can  others 
who  have  been  baptized  on  profession  of  their  faith 
in  Christ,  for  the  purpose  of  so  uniting  in  the  forma- 
tion. 

The  ''Constituting  act"  would  properly  and  ap- 
propriately be  the  unanimously  voting — perhaps  by 
rising — a  resolution  like  this  : 

''Resolved^  That,  guided  as  we  believe  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  relying  on  the  blessing  of  God,  we 
do,  here  and  now,  by  this  act,  constitute  ourselves  a 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  to  perform  His  service,  and 
to  be  governed  by  His  will,  as  revealed  in  the  New 
Testament.  And  to  this  end  we  do  hereby  adopt 
and  agree  to  the  following  Covenant  and  Articles 
of  Faith."  Here  let  the  Covenant  be  read,  to  which 
agreement  may  be  witnessed  by  each  one  raising 
the  right  hand.  Prayer  for  strength,  guidance,  and 
blessing  should  follow.  Such  an  act  makes  such  a 
company  of  disciples,  ipsofactOy  a  Church  of  Christ 
with  all  the  rights,  powers,  and  privileges  of  any 
New  Testament  Church.  Officers  can  afterward  be 
chosen,  as  seems  to  them  best,  a  pastor,  deacons, 
trustees  ;  only  that  some  one  should  at  once  be  se- 
lected, temporarily  or  permanently — unless  pre- 
viously chosen — to  act  as  clerk,  to  preserve  a  minute 
of  these  and  of  all  subsequent  proceedings,  as  well 
as  the  antecedent  proceedings  which  have  led  to  this 
organization. 


A   CHRISTIAN   CHURCH.  55 

Some  churches,  at  their  organization,  adopt  a  very 
elaborate  and  complicated  "  constitution  and  by- 
laws "  for  their  guidance,  a  course  of  very  doubtful 
expediency.  They  are  never  necessary,  and  often 
more  trouble  than  help.  The  well  -  understood 
teachings  of  the  Scriptures  are  a  sufficiently  plain 
guide  in  all  matters  of  morals  and  discipline,  and 
such  special  cases  as  may  arise  can  be  dealt  with 
on  their  merits  at  the  time,  or  provided  for  by  stand- 
ing resolutions  to  be  placed  upon  the  records,  as 
subsequent  guides  in  all  similar  cases.  For  in- 
stance, if  the  body  wishes  to  make  any  deliverance 
or  establish  any  rule,  as  may  be  the  case,  on  the 
subjects  of  Temperance,  Missions,  Sunday-schools, 
Sabbath-keeping,  or  Covetousness,  they  can  embody 
their  views  in  standing  resolutions,  place  them  on 
their  minutes,  and  hold  them  as  standards  for  sub- 
sequent action  in  similar  cases.* 

Note  i. — The  multiplication  of  feeble  churches  should  be 
guarded  against;  and  the  organization  of  new  interests  with- 
out the  prospect  of  becoming  independent  and  efficient, 
should  not  be  encouraged,  especially  in  a  community  already 
well  supplied  with  religious  privileges. 

Note  2. — More  particularly  should  the  formation  of  new 
churches  as  the  outgrowth  and  fruit  of  strife  and  dissension 
in  older  ones,  be  avoided  and  discountenanced,  except  in 
extreme  cases.  A  large  and  careful  observation  proves  that 
very  few  churches  so  constituted  ever  attain  to  any  consid- 
erable degree  of  prosperity  or  usefulness. 

Note  3. — The  existence  of  officers  is  not  essential  to  the 

*  See  "  Optional  Resolutions  "  in  Appendix. 


$6  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

existence  of  churches,  possessing  all  ecclesiastical  possi- 
bilities and  powers.  Officers  are  developed  out  of  the  mem- 
bership by  election  and  investiture  by  the  Church.  And 
in  the  absence  of  formally  invested  officers,  the  Church  can 
select  some  of  its  members  to  officiate,  temporarily,  in  all  de- 
partments of  its  service;  either  to  conduct  its  Worship,  dis- 
pense the  Word,  or  administer  the  Ordinances. 

XI.      CHURCHES   RECOGNIZED. 

It  is  customary  for  a  new  Church  to  call  a  Coun- 
cil to  recognize  it.  Occasionally  this  precautionary 
act  takes  place  at  the  time  of  the  constitution  of  the 
body.  More  frequently  at  a  subsequent  period. 
The  object  of  the  Council  is  to  examine  their  doc- 
trines, inquire  into  the  circumstances,  and  the  rea- 
sons for  their  organization,  so  as  to  be  able  to  ex- 
press approval  of  their  course,  and  certify  to  the 
churches  they  represent,  their  fellowship  for  the  new 
body  as  a  regularly  constituted  Church  of  the  same 
faith.  The  calling  of  a  Council  for  this  purpose  is 
entirely  optional  with  the  Church.  It  is  a  pruden- 
tial measure,  very  proper  and  well  to  be  continued 
as  a  guard  against  irregularities  in  doctrine  or  prac- 
tice, and  is  likely  to  secure  the  sympathy  and  ap- 
probation of  sister  churches ;  but  it  is  in  no  sense 
essential.  The  body  is  no  more  a  Church  for  hav- 
ing the  approval  of  a  Council,  and  no  less  one  for 
being  without  it. 

The  object  of  the  Council,  after  being  organized, 
is  to  inquire  into  the  facts  of  the  case  for  which  they 
were  convened.     They  hear  a  statement  made  by 


A   CHRISTIAN   CHURCH.  5/ 

some  person  selected  to  speak  for  the  Church  ;  ex- 
amine their  Articles  of  Faith  and  Covenant,  the 
letters  by  which  those  from  other  churches  have 
united  in  the  organization  ;  carefully  consider 
whether  there  be  apparent  need  of  a  Church  in  that 
particular  field  ;  and  when  the  whole  subject  is  fully 
before  them,  vote  approval  of  the  steps  taken,  if 
they  do  approve,  or  advise  to  the  contrary  if  they 
disapprove.  It  is  customary  to  hold  some  public 
religious  service  appropriate  to  the  occasion,  calcu- 
lated to  give  them  encouragement  in  their  enter- 
prise, and  assure  them  of  the  fellowship  and  sym- 
pathy of  sister  churches.  Such  services  may  take 
any  form  preferred  by  the  body  or  advised  by  the 
Council  ;  usually  there  is  a  discourse  preached,  a 
charge  given  to  the  Church,  and  the  hand  of  fellow- 
ship extended,  with  remarks,  through  some  one 
chosen  by  the  Council,  to  some  one  selected  by  the 
Church  to  receive  this  expression  of  fraternal  good- 
will. 

Note  i. — If  a  Council  should  decline  to  recognize  a  newly 
constituted  Church,  deeming  the  organization  unwise  and 
uncalled  for,  still  that  Church  would  have  the  right  to  main- 
tain its  organization  and  to  continue  its  work  and  its  worship. 
The  Council  could  not  unmake  it,  and  it  would  as  really  be  a 
Church  without,  as  with  their  sanction.  It  would  seldom, 
however,  be  wise  to  proceed  against  the  wisdom  and  adv'ce 
of  pastors  and  members  of  other  churches  assembled  in  a 
Council.  Such  adverse  decision  would  lessen  their  influence 
in  the  community,  and  abate  the  sympathy  and  confidence 
of  sister  churches. 

Note  2.  —  It  not  unfrequently  happens  that  a  Council 


58  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

doubts  the  propriety  of  recognizing  a  new  Church,  and  yet 
hesitates  to  refuse,  lest  a  refusal  might  be  a  mistake,  place 
difficulties  in  the  way  of  a  struggling  interest,  and  hinder  a 
good  cause.  In  such  cases  the  wise  course  is  for  the  Council 
to  adjourn  for  a  specified  time — three  or  six  months — and 
wait  developments.  At  the  end  of  that  time  the  case  may 
be  clearer,  and  admit  of  definite  settlement. 

Note  3, — To  prevent  mistakes  in  organizing  churches, 
some  hold  that  the  Council  should  be  called  before  constitu- 
tion, to  advise  as  to  whether  it  is  best  to  constitute,  rather 
than  afterward  to  recognize.  This  course  would  doubtless 
avoid  some  mistakes,  though  it  is  open  to  some  objections, 
and  is  not  usually  followed — possibly  because  of  the  inde- 
pendency of  those  concerned  in  the  formation  of  new  churches, 

XII.      CHURCHES   DISBANDED. 

It  sometimes  happens,  under  stress  of  circum- 
stances, that  it  becomes  needful,  or  at  least  seems 
wise,  to  abandon  Church  organizations  and  to  trans- 
fer the  efforts  made  for  their  support  to  new  fields, 
or  to  a  union  with  other  churches.  It  is  always  a 
matter  of  serious  concern  thus  to  remove  the  candle- 
stick out  of  its  place,  and  should  be  determined  on 
only  after  long  consideration,  much  prayer,  and 
consultation  with  wise  and  unbiased  brethren.  But 
duty  may  require  that  it  shall  be  done.  Cases  have 
occurred,  where  complicated  and  inveterate  troubles 
in  the  body  have  been  so  long  continued  as  to  dis- 
courage all  hope  of  further  comfort,  edification  or 
usefulness,  promising  only  further  contention  and 
scandal  to  the  Christian  name.  The  only  resort 
may  be  to  disband,  and  the  members  go  into  other 


A  CHRISTIAN   CHURCH.  59 

churches,  or,  such  as  believe  they  can  free  them- 
selves from  the  old  troubles,  and  work  harmoniously 
together,  unite  in  forming  a  new  Church,  leaving 
out  the  old  roots  of  bitterness  and  seeds  of  conten- 
tion. 

Of  the  wisdom  and  propriety  of  such  a  step  the 
body  itself  must  be  the  judge,  with  all  the  light 
it  can  obtain  ;  and  since  this  step  will  most  likely 
be  opposed  by  some,  the  question  must  be  finally 
decided  by  a  majority  of  the  members,  as  in  other 
cases.  There  are  some  things,  however,  that  ma- 
jorities even  cannot  rightfully  do,  and  they  must  pro- 
ceed cautiously. 

1.  Each  member  has  an  indefeasible  right  to  all  the 
immunities  of  Church  membership,  whether  moral, 
spiritual,  social  or  otherwise;  which  rights  cannot 
be  abrogated  or  alienated,  and  must  be  regarded  as 
sacred.  If  the  Church  be  disbanded,  therefore,  let- 
ters must  be  given  to  all  the  members,  which  will 
secure  them  admission  to  other  churches,  without 
loss  of  position  or  privilege. 

2.  There  are  rights  of  property  also  to  be  con- 
sidered, if  the  Church  holds  property,  purchased  or 
given  for  religious  uses.  The  deed  by  which  such 
property  is  held,  or  the  charter  by  which  the  Church 
has  become  a  body  corporate  for  the  purpose  of 
holding  and  controlling  temporalities,  would  have  to 
be  well  understood,  so  that  such  property  might  not 
be  lost,  or  diverted  to  other  uses  than  those  for 
which  it  was  given  or  purchased.  The  laws  of  the 
state,  and  the  decisions  of  courts  would  have  to  be 


60  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

consulted,  so  that  such  property  should  still  be  used 
according  to  its  original  design. 

3.  If  a  Church  be  disbanded,  and  absolutely  dis- 
solved, and  a  new  one  constituted  on  the  same 
ground,  and  of  the  same  materials,  the  new  one  can- 
not hold  the  property,  retain  the  officers,  perpetuate 
the  history,  or  claim  the  immunities  of  the  old  one, 
but  must  begin  anew,  unless,  indeed,  it  may  so  far 
be  allowed  by  legal  process  to  hold  the  property, 
appropriating  it  to  its  legitimate  use. 

The  process  by  which  the  organization  is  dis- 
banded, or  dissolved,  is  very  simple.  After  all  pre- 
liminary preparations  are  attended  to — for  no  Church 
acts  can  be  performed  after  the  final  act  of  dissolu- 
tion has  been  passed — letters  having  been  voted  to 
its  members,  and  the  clerk  authorized  to  give  such 
letters  to  any  person  who  may  subsequently  appear, 
and  have  right  to  them;  then  a  simple  vote,  "that 
we  do  here  and  now,  by  this  act,  disband  as  a  Church, 
and  cease  to  exist  as  a  corporate  and  covenant  or- 
ganization," will  accomplish  the  purpose.  What 
disposition  shall  be  made  of  the  records,  of  any  fur- 
niture, or  other  effects  belonging  to  them,  would 
previously  have  been  determined. 


CHAPTER  III. 

CHURCH    MEMBERSHIP. 

The  character  of  a  building  depends  very  much 
on  the  materials  of  which  it  is  constructed.  Chris- 
tian disciples  "  are  builded  together  for  a  habitation 
of  God,  through  the  Spirit."  Any  society  or  asso- 
ciation is  largely  what  its  constructive  elements  are. 
Combination  and  intercourse  may,  to  a  certain  ex- 
tent, modify  individual  peculiarities,  but  the  corpo- 
rate character  will  be  the  result  of  the  various 
personalities  which  compose  the  body.  The  esti- 
mation in  which  will  be  held  its  internal  life  and 
order,  the  efficiency  with  which  it  will  work  toward 
its  purposed  end,  will  all  be  determined  by  the  char- 
acter of  its  individual  elements. 

It  is  sometimes  said  that  a  Church  is  a  voluntary 
society.  This  is  true  in  a  sense,  and  only  with  an 
explanation.  It  is  true  in  that  no  external  force  or 
authority  can  compel  the  relation  of  membership  to 
be  formed,  or  dissolved.  The  Church  can  compel 
no  one  to  unite  with  it,  nor  can  the  individual  oblige 
the  body  to  receive  him.  But  it  is  not  true  that  it 
is  a  matter  merely  optional  and  indifferent  whether 
or  not  a  believer  identifies  himself  with  the  House- 
hold of  Faith.  He  is  under  moral  obligation  to  do 
chat.  It  is  for  his  own  spiritual  good  to  do  it;  it  is 
one  of  the  appointed   means   of  grace;  the  Church 

6i 


62  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

needs  his  presence  and  influence,  and  the  cause  of 
Truth  is  furthered  by  a  combination  of  Christian 
influence  and  eflbrt.  All  are  under  law  to  Christ, 
and  are  bound  by  sacred  obligations  to  obey  and 
please  Him.  He  has  ordained  that  His  followers 
should  associate  themselves  together  in  these  broth- 
erhoods of  faith  and  aflection.  A  Church,  therefore, 
is  more  than  a  voluntary  society:  it  is  a  society  under 
law  to  Christ. 

Church  membership,  therefore,  becomes  a  ques- 
tion of  grave  moment,  and  should  be  carefully 
studied  and  well  understood. 

Let  it  be  observed: 

Note  i. — The  character  of  the  persons  who  are  to  consti- 
tute the  churches  and  hold  membership  therein,  is  fixed  and 
prescribed  by  Christ  Himself,  and  is  to  remain  permanent 
and  unchanged. 

Note  2. — Consequently,  the  Church,  by  whose  act  per- 
sons are  to  be  formally  admitted  to  membership,  has  no  right 
or  authority  to  alter  the  terms  or  conditions  of  membership, 
but  must  conform  strictly  to  those  prescribed  by  the  Law- 
giver; much  less  can  the  wish  or  the  will  of  the  pastor  be 
allowed  to  change  these  conditions,  since  he  has  no  au- 
thority in  the  case;  still  less  can  the  desire  or  judgment  of 
the  candidate  himself  modify  the  divinely  prescribed  condi- 
tions. 

Note  3. — The  benefits  to  be  derived  by  Church  associa- 
tion and  fellowship,  whether  to  the  individual  or  to  the  body, 
can  be  certainly  anticipated  only  by  exact  conformity  to  the 
prescribed  qualifications  of  admission,  and  subsequent  con- 
formity to  the  principles  of  the  Church's  internal  polity. 

Note  4. — Decline,  perversion  and  decay  of  spiritual  life 
and  evangelical  doctrine,  are  more  likely  to  result  from  the 


CHURCH    MEMBERSHIP.  63 

admission  of  unsanctified  and  unsuitable  materials  into  its 
membership  than  from  almost  any  other  deviation  from  the 
divinely  constituted  order  of  building  the  spiritual  temple. 

Note  5. — The  moral  purity  and  spiritual  vitality  of  the 
membership  is  the  best  conservation  and  the  surest  guar- 
anty of  the  doctrinal  soundness  and  spiritual  vitality  of  the 
ministry  itself.  Where  vital  godliness  rules  in  the  body,  the 
same  will  be  demanded  and  supported  in  a  teacher  and 
leader,  and  there  an  unevangelical  ministry  will  not  long  be 
tolerated.  But  a  carnal  membership  will  endure,  and  even 
demand  a  carnal  ministry.     "  Like  people,  like  priest." 

I.      CONDITIONS   OF   MEMBERSHIP. 

The  very  great  importance  of  the  subject  hereby 
becomes  apparent,  and  the  question  of  vi^ho  may  and 
who  may  not  be  admitted  to  membership  is  one  of 
primary  moment.  What  are  the  scriptural  qualifi- 
cations for  citizenship  in  this  spiritual  kingdom,  for 
brotherhood  in  the  family  of  the  faithful,  for  mem- 
bership in  the  society  of  Jesus  ?  What  are  the  con- 
ditions on  which  this  privilege  depends  ? 

These  conditions  are  four: 

I.  A  regenerate  heart.  2.  A  confession  of  faith. 
3.  The  reception  of  baptism.     4.  A  Christian  life. 

I.  A  regenerate  heart. 

None  but  converted  and  godly  persons  have  any 
right  in  the  Church  of  Christ  as  members.  To  admit 
the  ungodly  and  the  profane  to  the  fellowship  of  the 
holy,  to  share  the  privileges  of  the  faithful,  and  par- 
take of  the  sacred  Communion  of  the  Body  and  the 
Blood  of  Christ,  would  be  a  scandal  and  a  shame, 


64  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

not  to  be  perpetrated  or  endured  by  those  who 
profess  to  be  His  disciples.  Nor  is  it  enough  that 
one's  moral  character  be  without  reproach,  and  his 
life  orderly.  He  must  give  good  evidence  that  he 
is  "  a  new  creature  in  Christ  Jesus,"  that  he  **  has 
passed  from  death  unto  life,"  and  that  "  Christ  is 
formed  in  him,"  or  he  has  no  place  in  His  body, 
which  is  the  Church.  If  our  churches  are  to  fulfill 
their  mission,  remain  true  to  their  traditions,  and 
honor  their  apostolical  pretensions,  they  must  in- 
sist, with  unabated  vigor,  on  a  regenerated  meni' 
bership.  Nor  must  they  insist  on  it  in  theory 
only,  but  take  every  precaution  to  maintain  it  in 
practice. 

This  position,  however,  is  one  with  which  many 
Christians,  deemed  evangelical,  not  a  few  Christian 
teachers, and  some  entire  denominations  do  not  agree; 
such  persons  claiming  that  nothing  more  than  good 
moral  character  and  a  serious  disposition  to  attend  to 
religious  instruction  should  be  demanded  in  candi- 
dates for  Church  membership.  Their  theory  is,  that 
within  the  Church  regeneration  and  salvation  are  to 
be  found,  rather  than  before  entering  it.  By  this 
practice  the  holy  and  the  profane  are  brought  into 
unseemly  fellowship  in  the  body  of  Christ,  the 
broad  distinction  between  the  Church  and  the  world 
is  diminished  or  obliterated,  the  salt  loses  its  savor, 
and  the  city  set  on  a  hill  to  that  extent  is  hid,  and 
ceases  to  be  a  monument  of  grace  to  men.  This 
becomes  more  emphatically  true,  since  churches 
which  hold  this  theory  hold  also  to  infant  baptism 


CHURCH    MEMBERSHIP.  65 

and  Church  membership  without  pretension  of  sav- 
ing faith  or  spiritual  birth.  Such  associations  lose 
the  foremost  characteristic  of  Christian  churches, 
and  become  religious  societies,  where  carnal  and 
spiritual  mingle  in  inharmonious  fellowship,  only  a 
part  of  which  can  pretend  to  be  members  of  the 
body  of  Christ. 

The  teachings  of  the  New  Testament  are  clear 
and  emphatic  on  this  point.  Both  Jesus  and  His 
Apostles  made  it  manifest  that  His  kingdom  was 
not  of  this  world,  and  those  who  constituted  it  were 
such  as  are  born  of  the  Spirit.  In  the  constitution 
of  the  first  churches,  both  Jewish  and  Gentile,  the 
persons  who  composed  them  were  not  indiscrimi- 
nately gathered,  but  those  called  out  ix ova  the  masses 
of  the  people  on  a  confession  of  faith  in  Christ,  and 
a  change  which  betokened  a  regenerate  nature. 
This  was  the  case  at  the  Pentecost,  and  subsequently 
it  was  "  the  saved  "  who  were  added  to  the  churches. 
So  was  it  at  Samaria,  at  Antioch,  at  Ephesus,  at 
Corinth,  at  Philippi — everywhere. 

The  Church  at  Rome  was  addressed  as  '*  Beloved 

of  God,  called  to  be    saints."  —  Rom.    I  :  7.     And 

these  same  disciples  Paul  reminds  of  their  former 

condition,   **  When    ye  were  servants  of  sin,"  and 

contrasts  it  with  their  present  condition:  "  But  now, 

being  made  free  from  sin,  and  become  servants  to 

God,  ye  have  your  fruit  unto  holiness,  and  the  end 

everlasting  life." — Rom.  6  :  20,  22.     The  salutation 

to  the  Corinthians  is,   "  Unto  the  Church  of  God, 

which  is  at  Corinth,  to  them  that  are  sanctified  in 
5 


(£  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Christ  Jesus,  called  to  be  saints."  —  I  Cor.  I  :  2, 
His  second  epistle  he  inscribes:  "■  Unto  the  Church 
of  God,  which  is  at  Corinth,  with  all  the  saints  which 
are  in  Achaia." — 2  Cor.  i  :  i.  The  Ephesians  he 
addresses  as:  "  The  saints  which  are  at  Ephesus, 
and  the  faithful  in  Christ  Jesus."  He  says  they 
"were  sealed  with  the  Holy  Spirit  of  promise." 
Also,  they  "were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,"  but 
God  had  "  quickened  them  together  with  Christ." — 
Eph.  I  :  i;  2  :  i,  6. 

The  broad  distinction  between  what  they  once 
were  and  what  they  had  become,  indicative  of  the 
great  change,  is  carried  through  all  the  epistles. 
To  the  Philippians,  it  is,  "  To  all  the  saints  in 
Christ  Jesus,  which  are  at  Philippi." — Phil.  I  :  i. 
Elsewhere  it  is  the  same:  "To  the  saints  and 
faithful  brethren  which  are  at  Colosse." — Col.  1 :  2 ;  3:3. 
He  says:  "  Ye  are  dead,  and  your  life  is  hid  with 
Christ  in  God."  Peter,  addressing  the  saints,  says: 
"  Ye  also,  as  living  stones,  are  built  up  a  spiritual 
house,  to  be  a  holy  priesthood,  to  offer  spiritual  sac- 
rifices, acceptable  to  God,  through  Jesus  Christ." 
And  further,  he  declares:  "But  ye  are  a  chosen 
generation,  a  royal  priesthood,  a  peculiar  people; 
that  ye  should  show  forth  the  praises  of  Him  who 
called  you  out  of  darkness  into  His  marvellous 
light." — I  Peter  2  :  5,  9.  The  unvarying  tone  of 
New  Testament  utterance  is  the  same.  Those  gath- 
ered in  fraternal  fellowship  to  constitute  the  churches 
of  our  Lord,  are  such  as  have  been  called  out  of 
darkness  into  light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan 


CHURCH    MEMBERSHIP.  6'^ 

unto  God.    Once  were  they  darkness,  now  are  they 
light  in  the  Lord. 

Were  it  not  for  a  too  ready  disposition  in  many 
quarters  to  admit  to  the  churches  almost  any  one 
who  might  desire  to  enter,  or  could  be  induced  to 
come — not  only  gold,  silver  and  precious  stones, 
but  wood,  hay  and  stubble  as  well — it  would  appear 
puerile  to  insist  on  a  spiritual  nature,  a  regenerate 
heart,  as  the  first  requisite  for  membership  in  the 
Church  of  Christ. 

2.  A  professed  faith. 

Before  the  Church  can  consistently  welcome  one 
to  its  fellowship,  the  members  must  obtain  the  evi- 
dence that  he,  too,  is  of  like  precious  faith  with 
themselves;  that  he  has  also  passed  from  death  unto 
life,  and  become  a  new  creature  in  Christ.  The 
bond  of  fellowship  among  the  saints  is  the  love  of 
Christ  shed  abroad  in  all  hearts  alike,  binding  all  in 
a  common  experience,  a  common  hope  and  a  com- 
mon sympathy  to  the  Cross,  the  one  common  cen- 
tre of  their  new  life.  In  order  to  make  this  fellow- 
ship real  and  personal  to  each,  the  new-comer  who 
seeks  admission  to  their  company  must  give  them 
the  evidence  that  he,  too,  has  been  born  of  the 
Spirit,  and  become  an  heir  of  God.  How  is  he  to 
give  and  they  to  obtain  this  evidence  }  By  a  con- 
fession to  that  effect,  and  by  such  change  in  char- 
acter and  conduct  on  his  part  as  he  is  able  to  show. 
Without  this,  no  evidence  of  fitness  for  member- 


68  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

ship  with  the  disciples  becomes  apparent,  and  no 
fraternal  fellowship  is  begotten. 

This  confession  of  faith  is  made  verbally,  by  a 
declaration  of  the  great  change  which  has  trans- 
pired. He  who  remains  silent,  and  can  bear  no 
testimony  to  the  loving  kindness  of  the  Lord,  gives 
small  reason  to  believe  that  he  is  a  child  of  God. 
The  declaration  of  those  who  experience  this  spir- 
itual transformation  in  all  ages,  climes  and  condi- 
tions, is  substantially  the  same:  "Come  and  hear, 
all  ye  that  fear  God,  and  I  will  declare  what  He 
hath  done  for  my  soul." — Ps.  66\  i6.  And  thus  is 
realized  the  declaration:  "  With  the  heart  man  be- 
lieveth  unto  righteousness,  and  with  the  mouth  con- 
fession is  made  unto  salvation." — Rom.  lO  :  lO. 
Without  a  confession  of  saving  faith  in  Christ,  and 
a  profession  of  pardon  and  peace  through  the 
blood  of  the  Covenant,  there  can  be  no  spiritual  fel- 
lowship, and  membership  in  the  Church  would  be 
little  more  than  a  pretense.  Those  who  accept 
Christ  as  their  Lord  and  Saviour  are  expected  to 
declare  their  new  obligation.  By  this  confession 
largely  the  Church  gains  the  evidence  that  they  have 
passed  from  death  unto  life.  The  old  Baptist  way, 
from  times  immemorial,  is,  to  have  persons  wishing 
to  unite  with  the  Church,  to  come  personally  before 
it  and  "  relate  their  experience,"  tell  what  the  Lord 
had  done  for  them  and  in  them.  However  much 
such  matters  may  be  referred  to  pastor  or  deacons 
or  committees,  as  preliminary,  candidates  must 
come  personally  before  the  Church  and  speak  for 


CHURCH    MEMBERSHIP.  69 

themselves.  And  this  custom  should  be  heroically 
maintained.  They  need  not  plead  timidity,  and  say 
they  cannot  speak  in  the  presence  of  others.  They 
deceive  themselves.  If  they  have  experienced  any- 
thing, they  can  say  something  about  it.  If  their 
hearts  have  been  changed,  they  can  speak  of  it.  If 
they  know  the  love  of  God,  they  can  say  so. 

3.   A  Reception  of  Baptism, 

Especially  is  a  confession  of  faith  to  be  made  in  bap- 
tism. A  regenerate  heart  constitutes  the  spiritual 
qualification  for  Church  membership.  A  professed 
faith  and  a  consistent  Christian  life  constitute  the 
moral  qualifications.  And  baptism  constitutes  the 
ritual  or  ceremonial  qualification  for  that  sacred  fel- 
lowship. Except  by  baptism  no  person  can  be  re- 
ceived as  a  member  of  the  Church,  without  violat- 
ing the  prescribed  conditions,  and  vitiating  the 
divine  method.  One  may  become  a  member  of 
**the  kingdom  of  heaven"  by  being  "born  from 
above,"  but  he  cannot  become  a  member  of  the  vis- 
ible Church  except  he  confess  that  spiritual  change 
in  the  waters  of  baptism.  In  that  symbolic  act  he 
declares  himself  dead  to  the  world  and  sin,  buried, 
and  raised  up  to  newness  of  life  through  the  death 
and  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead.  The 
spiritual  change  of  the  new  birth  begets  Christian 
fellowship;  but  to  secure  Church  fellowship,  that 
change  must  be  confessed  in  baptism.  This  is  the 
New  Testament  order.  At  the  first  it  was  so;  they 
repented,  they  believed,  they  were  baptized,  then 


/O  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

added  to  the  Church.     Without  confession  in  bap- 
tism there  could  be  no  Christian  churches. 

4.  A   Christian  deportment. 

This  condition  must  appear  manifest.  The  first 
act  of  Christian  obedience  after  conversion,  is,  natu- 
rally, baptism.  In  most  cases,  in  primitive  times,  it 
followed  immediately  after  an  exercise  of  saving 
faith.  "  They  believed  and  were  baptized."  There 
was,  consequently,  little  or  no  opportunity  to  test 
the  sincerity  of  their  profession,  or  prove  the  gen- 
uineness of  their  conversion  by  a  well-ordered  life 
and  godly  conversation.  With  us  it  is  usually  some- 
what different;  for  while  no  specified  time  is  required 
for  probation,  or  proof  of  sincerity,  some  time  usually 
does,  and  prudently  should,  elapse  after  a  profession 
of  faith,  before  Church  membership  is  consummated. 
Union  with  the  Church  usually  follows  baptism  im- 
mediately, but  baptism  does  not  usually  follow  con- 
version immediately,  as  it  might  lawfully  do. 

But  whatever  time  and  opportunity  there  may  be 
for  observing  the  spirit  and  conduct  of  professed 
converts,  that  spirit  and  conduct  should  be  found  in 
harmony  with  the  professed  change  of  heart.  If 
they  still  choose  their  old  companions,  find  pleasure 
in  their  old  pursuits  of  worldliness,  are  captivated 
with  the  vanities  and  frivolities  of  life,  to  say  no 
more,  who  could  believe  that  any  vital  and  radical 
change  by  grace  had  passed  upon  the  soul }  If  the 
old  things  have  not  passed  away,  and  all  things 
become  new,  how  can  a  Christian  character  be  de- 


CHURCH    MEMBERSHIP.  7I 

tected  in  them  ?     And  if  that  be  not  apparent,  how 
can  they  be  fit  members  for  the  Church  of  God  ? 

An  external  Christian  life  must  corroborate  the 
profession  of  an  internal  Christian  faith.  This  apos- 
tolic injunction  must,  to  a  good  degree,  be  made 
manifest  to  all  in  every  professed  disciple.  ''  If  ye 
then  be  risen  with  Christ,  seek  those  things  which 
are  above,  where  Christ  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of 
God;  set  your  affections  on  things  above,  and  not 
on  things  on  the  earth.  For  ye  are  dead,  and  your 
life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God." — Col.  3:1,2.  No 
amount  of  attestation  can  make  the  world  believe 
that  he  is  a  Christian  whose  conduct  does  not  cor- 
respond to  his  profession.  And  if  there  cannot  be 
a  good  degree  of  conformity  between  the  professed 
and  the  practical,  persons  had  better  remain  out  of 
the  Church  than  to  enter  it.  Positively  so,  if  there 
be  a  manifest  disparity  and  contradiction  between 
the  two. 

Note  i. — Not  every  person  can  give  an  equally  satisfac- 
tory relation  of  Christian  experience  before  the  Church,  nor 
are  those  always  the  most  certainly  regenerate  who  can  tell 
the  most  remarkable  experience.  But  no  person  can  consist- 
ently be  admitted  to  its  fellowship  unless  the  Church  in  some 
way  obtains  satisfactory  evidence  of  his  conversion,  and  hears 
him  personally  declare  his  faith. 

Note  2. — Persons  on  entering  a  Church  may  be  ignorant 
of  many  things  in  Christian  doctrine,  and  must  be  ignorant 
of  many  things  in  practical  Christian  life,  which  they  will 
afterward  learn.  Nor  should  they  be  rejected  simply  on 
that  account.  Indeed,  they  enter  the  Church  as  a  school  of 
sacred  learning,  to  be  instructed.     But  no  one  should  be  ad- 


72  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

mitted  who  holds  and  maintains  matters,  either  of  faith  oi 
morals,  contrary  to  the  Scriptures,  as  understood  by  the 
Church.  Especially  so,  if  such  differences  are  likely  to  be 
proclaimed  and  advocated.  For,  even  admitting  that  the 
candidate  may  be  right  and  the  Church  wrong  in  the  matters 
wherein  they  differ,  such  oppositions  would  produce  discords 
and  dissensions,  interrupting  the  harmony  of  the  body,  and 
thus  becoming  obstructive,  both  to  its  peace  and  to  its  use- 
fulness. 

Note  3. — In  all  matters  fundamental,  both  as  to  faith  and 
practice,  members  of  the  same  Church  should  hold  and  act 
alike,  since  harmony  in  the  body  is  of  the  greatest  impor- 
tance. But  it  would  be  unreasonable  to  demand  or  expect 
that  considerable  numbers  of  persons,  differing  in  education, 
habits  of  thought,  constitution  of  mind  and  independent 
opinions,  could  attain  perfect  uniformity  of  belief  in  all  mat- 
ters of  Christian  truth.  This  would  be  impracticable,  and  in 
minor  matters  large  Christian  liberty  should  be  allowed. 

Note  4. — The  relation  of  Christian  experience  before  the 
Church,  while  the  practice  should  be  maintained,  cannot 
usually  give  full  and  satisfactory  evidence  of  conversion. 
The  excitement  of  the  occasion  and  the  timidity  of  the  can- 
didate may  do  injustice  to  the  most  devout  and  pious  per- 
sons. The  pastor,  deacons  and  others  should,  by  personal 
intercourse  and  private  conversation,  obtain  the  facts  in  the 
case,  and  lay  them  before  the  body  as  evidence. 

Note  5. — In  the  relation  of  experience  it  is  not  so  much 
the  words  spoken  as  the  manner  by  which,  and  the  spirit  in 
which,  they  are  spoken,  that  convince  and  satisfy  those  who 
hear.  And  it  is  more  difficult  to  judge,  and  requires  more 
caution  in  the  case  of  strangers,  with  whose  history,  manner 
of  life  and  habits  of  thought  they  are  unfamiliar,  than  of 
those  well  known. 

Note  6. — Those  pastors  make  a  grave  mistake,  and  are 
grievously  in  fault,  who  hurry  persons  into  the  Church  with- 
out giving  the  body  a  fair  and  full  opportunity  of  gaining 


CHURCH    MEMBERSHIP.  73 

evidence  of  their  regenerate  state.  They  may  ask  a  few 
leading  questions  themselves,  which  anyone,  saint  or  sinner, 
could  answer,  and  virtually  debar  others  the  privilege  of  ask- 
ing others,  call  a  vote  on  their  reception,  to  which  a  few  will 
respond  and  many  remain  silent.  No  fellowship  is  accorded 
by  the  body,  since  no  evidence  is  obtained.  The  Church 
may  seem  to  be  prosperous,  because  baptisms  frequently  oc- 
cur; but  the  moral  strength  of  the  body  is  weakened,  rather, 
and  disorder  introduced  where  order  should  prevail. 

Note  7. — Neither  age,  sex,  race,  past  character,  nor  con- 
dition in  life  should  serve  to  keep  one  out  of  the  Church,  if 
the  evidence  be  abundant  and  satisfactory  that  such  an  one 
be  a  subject  of  renewing  and  saving  grace;  and  that  the 
character  and  conduct  since  professed  conversion  be  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  gospel  of  Christ. 

II.      MODES   OF  ADMISSION. 

It  is  not  proposed  to  admit  persons  to  member- 
ship by  an  imposing  ceremonial,  the  better  to  im- 
press on  them  and  others  the  importance  of  the 
act,  as  is  done  in  some  societies,  and  even  in  some 
churches.  For,  though  the  act  be  an  important  one, 
the  simplicity  of  Christ  does  not  call  for  parade  to 
make  it  seem  impressive.  The  form  is  simple, 
though  the  act  be  serious.  While  no  gorgeous  pa- 
geant marks  initiation  to  the  fellowship  of  the 
Christian  mysteries,  it  may  well  be  questioned  if 
we  do  not  hold  too  lightly  and  make  too  little  of 
admission  to  membership  in  this  sacred  brother- 
hood. 

There  are  three  ways  in  common  use,  by  either  of 
which  persons  may  be  admitted  to  the  Church,  ac- 
cording to  their  religious  standing  and  their  relation 


74  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

to  a  profession  of  faith.  But  the  difference  in  either 
case  has  reference  to  the  form  or  mode,  the  sub- 
stantial act  in  all  these  cases  being  the  same,  viz.: 
a  vote  of  the  body  to  receive  the  candidate.  Each 
new  member  must  be  admitted  by  the  free  and  vol- 
untary consent  and  approval  of  those  already  mem- 
bers, which  consent  is  usually  expressed  by  a  formal 
vote.  By  this  method  alone,  and  not  by  the  per- 
sonal action  of  the  minister,  nor  yet  by  the  decision 
of  a  board  of  official  members,  no,r  yet  by  some  ex- 
ecutive committee  specially  appointed  for  this  pur- 
pose, are  new  members  to  be  received,  if  the  sym- 
pathy and  confidence  of  the  body  are  to  be  secured 
to  each  one  added.  An  examination  before  the 
pastor  and  deacons,  or  before  some  official  consis- 
tory or  committee,  might  be  preferred  by  many  can- 
didates, and  even  to  others  might  seem  more  desir- 
able, because  more  private.  All  this  may  be  had, 
but  if  had,  it  is  preliminary  and  precautionary.  The 
final  and  efficient  act  is  the  vote  of  the  Church  in  its 
corporate  capacity,  after  having  listened  to  the  can- 
didate's personal  statement,  and  being  satisfied  as 
to  his  fitness. 

The  following  are  the  three  modes  of  admission  : 
I.  By  Baptism. — A  person  may  be  admitted  to 
the  Church,  on  a  profession  of  faith  in  Christ,  by 
baptism.  This  is  the  more  common  method.  Such 
an  one  makes  known  his  Christian  hope  and  desire 
for  baptism  and  union  with  the  Church,  to  the  pas- 
tor or  brethren.  If  they,  after  proper  investigation 
of  the  case,  become  satisfied  of  his  fitness  for  that 


CHURCH    MEMBERSHIP.  75 

Step,  he  is  encouraged  to  come  before  the  Church  at 
such  time  as  they  are  accustomed  to  receive  candi- 
dates, relate  his  Christian  experience  and  his  desire 
to  be  received  to  their  fellowship.  After  he  has 
made  this  relation  and  retired,  the  Church  considers 
the  question  of  his  reception,  hears  the  testimony 
of  those  who  have  become  familiar  with  the  case, 
and  then,  if  satisfied,  it  is  moved  and  voted  that  he 
be  received  as  a  member,  on  being  baptized. 

2.  By  Letter. — In  the  changes  of  social  and  domes- 
tic life,  which  are  constantly  transpiring,  members 
often  remove  from  the  vicinity  of  the  Church  with 
which  they  have  united.  Then  it  becomes  their  duty, 
and  should  be  their  desire,  to  connect  themselves 
with  a  Church  of  the  same  faith  near  their  new  home, 
where  they  can  conveniently  work  and  worship. 
By  the  comity  of  Christian  fellowship,  and  by  that 
courtesy  which  each  Church  owes  to  each  other,  the 
one  of  which  he  is  a  member  gives  him  a  letter  of 
commendation  and  dismission,  by  which  his  mem- 
bership may  be  transferred  to  the  other.  This  letter 
certifies  to  his  good  Christian  character  and  regular 
standing,  and  commends  him  to  the  confidence  of, 
and  membership  in,  the  other  Church.  If  satisfied, 
he  is  received  by  a  vote  of  the  Church,  as  in  the 
former  case — the  letter  serving  as  a  certificate  of 
character  and  standing,  with  permission  to  unite. 
Though  not  considered  essential,  yet  it  is  desirable 
that  the  person  should  be  present  when  his  letter 
is  read,  and  verbally  express  his  desire  to  be  re- 
ceived. 


76  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

3.  By  Experience. — It  sometimes  happens  that 
persons  who  have  been  baptized,  but  by  some  means 
have  lost  their  membership,  desire  to  unite  with  a 
Church.  They  bring  no  letters,  nor  are  they  re- 
baptized;  but  give  an  account  of  their  conversion 
and  Christian  life,  which,  being  satisfactory,  they 
are  received  by  vote  on  their  confession — or,  as  it 
is  usually  stated,  **  on  experience." 

Note  i. — In  some  churches  the  names  of  all  candidates 
are  announced  at  a  meeting  previous  to  that  on  which  action 
is  to  be  taken,  in  order  that  all  may  be  acquainted  with  the 
fact,  and  make  objection,  if  they  know  of  any  good  reason 
for  objection. 

Note  2. — In  some  churches,  also,  there  is  a  standing  com- 
mittee, before  which  all  applicants  for  membership  must  first 
go,  and  if  that  committee  regard  the  application  unfavorably, 
it  is  not  presented  to  the  Church  at  all.  Such  action  may  at 
first  appear  somewhat  arbitrary,  perhaps,  but  in  cities  and 
other  crowded  communities  great  care  is  needed  to  guard 
against  imposition  by  designing  and  unworthy  persons,  who 
may  be  influenced  by  sinister  motives  in  such  a  step.  Of 
course,  a  final  appeal  is  to  the  Church,  and  not  to  a  com- 
mittee. 

Note  3. — In  some  churches,  particularly  in  large  commu- 
nities where  individuals  may  not  be  so  well  known,  the  pastor 
requests  some  careful  and  competent  member  to  act  as  com- 
mittee to  ascertain  the  facts  in  the  case  of  each  one  apply- 
ing for  membership.  Or  there  may  be  a  standing  committee, 
to  which  all  such  cases  are  referred.  Or  if  there  be  a  pru- 
dential committee,  through  which  all  applications  must  come, 
they  act  in  the  matter.  In  either  case  a  report  is  made  to 
the  church,  when  action  is  taken.  But,  in  addition,  a  care- 
ful pastor  will  personally  investigate  every  case. 

Note  4. — Persons  cannot  be  received  to  membership  on 


CHURCH    MEMBERSHIP.  'J'J 

the  credit  of  letters  from  other  denominations.  Such  letters 
are  accepted  as  testimonials  of  previous  Church  standing  and 
Christian  character;  but  the  applicants  are  to  be  received  by 
baptism — if  not  already  baptized — or  otherwise  on  their 
Christian  experience,  related  in  person  before  the  Church. 

Note  5. — It  is  a  rule  generally  acted  on,  that  no  person 
shall  be  taken  into  the  Church  to  the  grief  of  any  one  already 
a  member.  Hence,  members  should  be  received  not  simply 
by  a  majority,  but  by  a  unanimous  vote.  If  objection  be 
made,  the  case  should  be  postponed,  to  ascertain  the  facts. 
If  the  objections  be  found  to  be  factious  and  unreasonable, 
they  should  not  be  further  regarded;  and  if  persisted  in, 
would  subject  the  objectors  to  reproof  and  censure. 

Note  6. — At  times  it  may  be  found  expedient  to  postpone 
the  reception  of  a  candidate  for  a  better  acquaintance,  and 
for  greater  harmony  in  action  respecting  him.  Moreover,  it 
is  always  better  to  use  great  deliberation  than  to  proceed 
with  great  haste  in  such  a  matter.  But  the  Scriptures  cer- 
tainly do  not  authorize  any  system  oi  probation  by  which  all 
candidates  are  required  to  wait  a  specified  time  before  being 
admitted  to  the  full  fellowship  of  the  body. 

Note  7. — To  baptize  persons  who  do  not  unite  with  any 
Church,  is  considered  bad  policy,  as  subversive  of  good  order 
and  destructive  of  Church  organization.  They  should  be  ap- 
proved and  received  by  the  body  for  full  fellowship  7£/^<?«  bap- 
tized. Yet  there  are  possible  exceptions  to  this  rule  where 
no  Church  exists,  or  where  they  are  baptized  to  constitute 
one,  and  in  some  other  unusual  circumstances. 

Note  8. — Nor  is  it  expedient,  or  promotive  of  good  order, 
for  ministers  to  baptize  persons  who  wish  to  unite  with 
churches  of  other  denominations.  Such  persons  should  re- 
ceive the  ordinance  from  the  pastors  of  the  churches  with 
which  they  are  to  unite.  Nor  is  it  consistent  Christian  walk- 
ing for  such  persons  to  unite  with  churches  which  uphold 
and  practice  a  form  of  so-called  baptism  which  they  them- 
selves reject  and  condemn. 


78  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Note  9.  — Persons  who  fulfill  all  the  Scriptural  conditions 
and  possess  all  the  requisite  qualifications  for  membership, 
have  a  right  to  be  admitted  to  baptism  and  the  privileges  of 
the  Church,  if  they  request  it;  though  no  extraneous  force 
or  authority  can  compel  their  admission. 

Note  10. — Uniting  with  a  Church  must  be  a  free  and  vol- 
untary act  on  the  part  of  the  individual;  there  is  neither  civil 
nor  ecclesiastical  authority  among  us  to  compel  or  require  it. 
But  there  is  a  moral  obligation  resting  on  every  professed 
lover  of  the  Saviour  to  identify  himself  in  fraternal  union 
with  the  company  of  His  disciples. 

Note  ii. — No  civil  or  religious  disability  can,  with  us,  be 
inflicted  on  those  who  are  not  communicants,  as  is  the  case 
in  countries  where  there  is  a  state  Church,  and  where  religion 
is  supported  as  a  civil  establishment.  The  gospel  idea  of 
religious  faith  and  service  is,  that  all  should  be  voluntary  and 
free,  and  that  civil  authority  has  no  right  of  control  over,  or 
interference  with,  matters  of  religion. 

Note  12. — It  is  customary,  when  members  are  admitted 
to  the  Church,  whether  by  baptism,  letter  or  experience,  for 
the  pastor  to  give  them  the  right  hand  of  fellowship.  This 
is  usually  done  at  the  communion  semce  immediately  before 
the  elements  are  distributed.  The  candidate  rises,  while  the 
hand  is  extended  with  a  few  words  of  kindly  welcome.  The 
act  is  fraternal,  but  not  essential;  is  designed  simply  as  an 
expression  of  the  Church's  welcome.  It  does  not  make  them 
members,  and  adds  nothing  to  their  standing,  but  recognizes 
them  in  the  presence  of  the  body  as  fellow-disciples.  In 
some  churches — particularly  at  the  South — in  addition  to  the 
pastor's  hand  of  fellowship,  the  various  members  pass  by  in 
order,  each  extending  the  hand  of  welcome;  a  practice  which, 
though  somewhat  less  conventional,  is  more  expressive. 

Note  i  3. — The  reception  of  persons  by  restoration  is  not 
essentially  different  from  that  by  experience,  Members  who 
have  been  excluded  from  fellowship  may  be  received  back, 
when  the  causes  which  led  to  the  withdrawal  of  fellowship  arf» 


CHURCH    MEMBERSHIP.  79 

removed,  and  the  individual  requests  restoration — the  Church, 
being  satisfied  with  his  fitness,  votes  his  reception.  The 
"hand  of  fellowship"  properly  follows  in  this  case,  as  in 
the  others.  Such  cases  are  reported  as  additions  by  "res- 
toration." 

Note  14. — Persons  received  to  membership  have  equal 
rights  and  immunities  with  any  and  all  other  members,  with- 
out distinction  of  sex,  age  or  condition,  unless  for  cause  un- 
der discipline  and  censure.  Persons  not  members  enjoy  the 
privilege  of  worship  with  the  Church,  but  can  claim  no  cor- 
porate rights,  including  the  ordinances. 

in.      MODES  OF  DISMISSION. 

Church  membership  is  held  to  be  of  perpetual 
obligation.  What  has  been  elsewhere  said  as  to  its 
voluntary  character  will  apply  to  the  dissolving  as 
well  as  to  the  forming  of  this  relation.  No  human 
authority  can  hold  one  in  the  Church,  who  resolves 
to  go  out  of  it.  The  Church  is  more  than  a  mere 
confederation  of  men  and  women;  it  is  "  the  body  of 
Christ,"  where  each  one,  "is  a  member  in  particu- 
lar." Each  one  who  unites  with  it  does  so,  pre- 
sumably, not  as  a  mere  matter  of  convenience,  or 
personal  caprice,  but  from  a  sense  of  religious 
obligation.  Voluntarily  and  of  choice  indeed,  yet 
still  doing  it,  *'  as  unto  the  Lord."  When  he  becomes 
a  member  therefore,  it  is  for  life,  unless  some  provi- 
dential interposition  should  break  the  bonds.  Bap- 
tists hold  that  Christians  should  not  live  outside  the 
fold  of  the  Good  Shepherd,  but  within  the  shelter 
of  its  fellowship;  unless,  indeed,  they  become  un- 
worthy the  position,  and  have  to  be  "  put  away." 


80  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Provision  is,  however,  made    for  a  transference  of 
membership  from  one  Church  to  another. 

There  are  three  ways,  by  either  of  which  the  re- 
lation of  members  to  the  body  may  be  dissolved: 

1.  By  Letter. — A  member  may,  on  application, 
receive  a  letter  of  commendation  and  dismission 
from  his  Church,  with  which  to  unite  with  another 
of  the  same  faith,  and  thus,  not  pass  out  of  Church 
relations,  but  be  transferred  from  one  fellowship  to 
another. 

2.  By  Exrclusion. — When  the  Church,  in  the  ex- 
ercise of  its  lawful  authority  and  discipline,  with- 
draws fellowship  from  one  proven  to  be  an  unworthy 
member,  his  connection  with  the  body  is  dissolved 
and  thenceforth  ceases. 

3.  By  Death. — The  death  of  members  of  course 
dissolves  the  relation,  and  transfers  them  from  the 
Church  on  earth,  to  that  above. 

No  other  modes  of  dismission,  or  disconnection 
are  recognized  among  our  churches. 

Note  i. — It  is  customary  for  the  validity  of  letters  to  be 
limited  to  some  specified  time — usually  six  months — after  the 
expiration  of  which  time  they  are  worthless;  but  may  be  re- 
newed, if  satisfactory  reason  be  given  the  Church  for  their 
non-use. 

Note  2. — The  one  receiving  a  letter  is  still  a  member  and 
subject  to  the  authority  and  discipline  of  the  Church  grant- 
ing it,  until  he  has  used  it  by  actually  connecting  himself 
with  another  Church. 

Note  3. — Letters  thus  given  can  be  revoked,  for  cause,  by 
the  Church  at  its  discretion,  any  time  previous  to  their  being 
used. 


CHURCH    MEMBERSHIP.  8l 

Note  4. — Any  member  in  good  standing  has  the  right  at 
any  time  to  ask  for,  and  receive  from  the  Church  a  certificatt 
of  his  membership  and  standing;  but  subjects  himself  to  dis- 
cipline if  he  use  it  for  any  improper  purpose. 

Note  5. — Letters  cannot  properly  be  given  to  be  used  in 
uniting  with  a  Church  of  another  denomination.  It  would 
be  manifestly  inconsistent  for  a  Church  to  commend  and  dis- 
miss its  members  to  unite  with  those  with  whom  it  did  not 
hold  Church  fellowship. 

Note  6. — When  a  member  unites  with  a  Church  of  an- 
other denomination,  the  hand  of  fellowship  is  withdrawn 
from  him,  though  otherwise  of  good  Christian  character,  and 
though  he  may  have  acted  conscientiously  in  what  he  had 
done.  This  act  implies  no  censure;  but  since  his  Church  is 
not  in  fellowship  with  that  to  which  he  has  gone,  they  can- 
not consistently  continue  fellowship  with  him  in  that  Church. 

Note  7. — No  member  can  withdraw  from  the  Church. 
He  must  be  regularly  dismissed  by  the  action  of  the  body. 
Nor  can  one  have  his  name  dropped,  or  be  excluded  at  his 
own  request.  Such  action,  if  taken  at  all,  must  be  taken  by 
due  process  of  discipline  on  the  part  of  the  Church. 

Note  8. — Nor  can  the  Church  compel  2i  member  to  take  a 
letter  and  withdraw,  without  his  consent.  This  would  be  a 
virtual  exclusion  from  its  fellowship;  in  order  to  which,  due 
course  of  discipline  must  be  pursued,  on  charges  made,  and 
for  sufficient  reasons. 

Note  9. — When  members  remove  their  residence  so  far  as 
to  render  worship  with  their  Church  impracticable,  they 
should  take  letters,  and  unite  where  they  go.  Their  churches 
should  require  this  of  them,  if  at  all  practicable.  The  too 
common  practice  of  holding  membership  in  one  Church,  and 
worshiping  in  another  deserves  severe  reproof. 

Note  10. — In  voting  on  the  reception,  dismissal,  discipline 
or  exclusion  of  members,  several  cases  should  not  be  included 
in  the  same  vote,  but  each  one  be  acted  on  separately,  and 
decided  on  its  own  merits. 
6 


82  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Note  ii. — The  dropping  of  members  is  merely  placing  on 
a  separate  list  the  names  of  those  of  whom  the  Church  has 
lost  all  knowledge.  They  are  neither  dismissed,  nor  reported 
as  members;  and  whenever  found,  their  names  are  restored 
to  the  record.  No  one  can  be  dropped  as  an  act  of  discipline, 
nor  when  his  residence  is  known,  nor  simply  to  get  rid  of  a 
disturbing  element. 

Note  12. — Persons  excluded  ixova  one  Church  should  not 
be  received  to  the  fellowship  of  another,  except  after  care- 
ful investigation,  and  when  most  manifest  injustice  has  been 
done  such  members;  and  also  when  the  excluding  Church 
refuses  to  correct  the  wrong  done.  Yet  cases  may,  and  do 
occur,  where  it  is  the  duty  of  one  Church  to  bear  this  testi- 
mony against  the  wrong  done  by  another,  and  receive  the 
unjustly  excluded  member  to  its  fellowship. 

Note  13. — Sometimes  a  letter  of  simple  commendation, 
or  occasional  communion,  is  given  to  a  member  who  is  to  be 
temporarily  absent  from  home,  for  the  purpose  of  affording 
him  Christian  introduction  where  he  may  visit,  or  worship 
during  his  absence.  This  may  be  given  by  the  pastor,  or 
clerk,  or  by  the  action  of  the  Church,  and  should  be  limited 
to  the  time  of  his  probable  absence. 

Note  14. — The  conception  of  a  perfect  Christian  brother- 
hood is  not  to  be  realized  on  earth.  Many  defects  and  faults 
may  be  expected,  both  in  the  individual,  and  in  the  body. 
The  member  may  think  the  Church  little  better  than  the 
world;  and  the  Church  may  regard  the  member  as  a  burden 
rather  than  a  blessing,  and  wish  to  be  rid  of  him.  But  those 
who  are  truly  Christ's,  "  have  crucified  the  flesh  with  its  af- 
fections and  lusts,"  and  must  "  bear  one  another's  burdens," 
and  take  no  unlawful  or  unkindly  means  to  break  the  bonds 
of  their  fellowship,  and  sever  their  connection. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

CHURCH    OFFICERS. 

Every  form  of  organized  society,  whether  civil, 
social  or  religious,  is  supposed  to  have  officers,  duly 
constituted  to  execute  the  laws,  administer  the 
government,  and  secure  the  ends  contemplated  by 
the  organization.  The  Church  is  a  commonwealth, 
a  society,  a  family,  and  has  its  officers  as  leaders 
and  administrators  of  its  affairs.  Officers,  however, 
are  not  essential  to  the  existence  of  a  State,  nor  are 
they  to  the  existence  of  a  Church.  They  are  never- 
theless important  to  their  highest  efficiency,  and  the 
best  exercise  of  their  legitimate  functions.  The 
State  does  not  lapse  and  cease  to  be,  because  its 
executive  dies,  resigns,  or  is  removed.  Nor  does 
the  Church  cease  to  be  a  Church  though  it  may  be 
without  officers.  It  was  a  Church  before  it  had  offi- 
cers, and  supplied  these  administrative  functionaries 
from  among  its  own  members.  And  should  they  all 
resign,  or  be  removed,  the  Church  would  still  sur- 
vive, and  supply  the  deficiency  by  the  election  of 
others  to  fill  their  places. 

What  are  the  officers  of  a  Christian  Church  ?  How 
are  they  secured  ?  What  are  their  functions  ?  And 
whence  is  their  authority  .<*  These  are  questions  of 
importance  to  be  asked  and  answered;  and  to  which 

83 


84  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

various  replies  will  be  given,  according  to  the  ec- 
clesiastical theory  on  which  the  reply  proceeds. 

But  suppose  we  make  the  questions  somewhat 
more  specific,  and  ask,  "  What  are  the  Scriptural 
officers  of  a  Christian  Church  ?  "  We  shall  by  this 
means  simplify  the  inquiry,  and  be  directed  not  to 
ecclesiastical  standards,  but  to  the  New  Testament 
for  an  answer — a  source  of  authority  which  to  all 
Christians  ought  to  be  more  satisfactory  than  any 
other,  in  such  matters;  and  to  Baptists,  certainly 
will  be,  if  they  be  true  to  their  convictions  as  Bible 
Christians. 

They  are  of  two  grades. 

In  the  New  Testament  we  find  but  two  orders 
pertaining  to  the  ministry;  but  two  officers  to  a 
Church.  These  are  pastors  and  deacons.  And,  yet, 
this  is  a  question  still  to  some  extent  in  dispute. 
All  prelatical  churches  insist  there  are,  and  of  right 
should  be,  three  orders^  and  the  Romish  Church 
has  carried  the  number  up  to  ten  or  twelve. 

But  if  the  Scriptures  be  appealed  to,  and  primitive 
churches  be  accepted  as  examples,  it  would  seem  to 
be  a  question  settled,  that  in  apostolic  times,  and 
for  many  years  after,  pastors  and  deacons  only  were 
known  as  permanent  Church  officers.  The  intro- 
duction of  other  orders  subsequently,  was  a  part  of 
that  system  of  change  and  perversion,  which 
eventually  reared  a  gigantic  and  corrupt  hierarchy 
on  the  ruins  of  the  simplicity  of  the  Gospel,  and 
substituted  an  oppressive  and  tyrannical  worldly  es- 
tablishment for  the  Church  of  Christ.     All  of  which 


CHURCH    OFFICERS.  85 

changes  and  corruptions  come  largely  through  the 
unwarranted  assumptions  of  the  clergy  themselves. 

I.     PASTORS. 

In  the  New  Testament  the  term  episcopos^which.  is 
usually  rendered  bishopy  and  presbuteroSy  which  is 
rendered  eldevy  are  used  interchangeably,  and  often 
applied  to  the  same  person.  The  episcopos  was  an 
overseer y  what  the  term  properly  denotes;  it  was  the 
word  used  chiefly  by  the  Greek  Christians  as  applied 
to  the  pastor^  who  had  the  oversight  of  the  flock, 
and  performed  the  work  of  a  shepherd  in  spiritual 
concerns.  The  term  presbuteros  or  elder,  was  evi- 
dently derived  from  the  synagogue,  and  used  chiefly 
by  Jewish  Christians,  to  designate  the  same  person, 
especially  as  in  the  synagogue  elderly  and  dignified 
persons  were  selected  as  the  official  directors  of  re- 
ligious aflairs. 

The  term  pastor  signifies  a  shepherd,  and  well  in- 
dicates the  nature  of  the  relation  he  sustains  to  the 
Church;  that  of  leading,  feeding,  guiding  and  guards 
ing  the  flock  committed  to  his  care.  He  is  alsq 
called  a  minister  {diakonos),  one  who  serves  and 
ministers  to  others;  as  the  pastor  is  supposed  to 
minister  in  holy  things  to  the  Church.  Thus  the 
prelatical  distinction  of  Bishops,  Priests  and  Dea- 
cons, constituting  three  orders  in  the  clergy,  cor- 
responding to  the  three  orders.  High-priest,  Priest 
and  Levite,  in  the  Jewish  hierarchy,  finds  no  warr 
rant  in  the  use  of  the  terms,  episcopos ,  presbuteros 


86  THE    NEW   DIRECTORY. 

and  diakonos,  in  apostolic  writings.  And  to  this 
many  distinguished  prelatists,  historians  and  com- 
mentators agree. 

Neander,  the  most  distinguished  of  Church  his- 
torians, gives  the  following  explanation  : 

"The  name  oi presbyters,  which  was  appropriated  to  this 
body,  was  derived  from  the  Jewish  Synagogue.  But  in  the 
Gentile  churches,  formed  by  the  Apostle  Paul,  they  took  the 
name  {episcopoi)  bishops,  a  term  more  significant  of  their  of- 
fice, in  the  language  generally  spoken  by  the  members  of 
these  churches.  The  name  oi presbyters  denoted  the  dignity 
of  their  office  :  that  of  bishops,  on  the  other  hand,  was  ex- 
pressive rather  of  the  nature  of  their  office,  to  take  the  over- 
sight of  the  Church.  Most  certainly  no  other  distinction 
originally  existed  between  them."  "  They  were  not  designed 
to  exercise  absolute  authority,  but  to  act  as  presiding  officers 
and  guides  of  an  ecclesiastical  republic;  to  conduct  all  things 
with  the  cooperation  of  the  communities;  as  their  ministers, 
and  not  as  their  masters."  "  I  can  discover  no  other  differ- 
ence between  the  elders  and  bishops,  in  the  Apostolic  age, 
than  that  the  first  denotes  the  dignity,  the  second  the  duties 
of  the  office,  whether  the  reference  is  to  one  or  more." — Ch. 
Hist.  Vol.  I. ,  p.  184:  Plant,  and  Train,  p.  147:  Intro,  to  Cole- 
man's Prim.  Ch.,  p.  20;  Plant,  and  Train,  p.  148. 

*  Mosheim  says : 

"  The  rulers  of  the  churches  were  denominated  sometimes 
presbyters  or  elders — ^a  designation  borrowed  from  the  Jews, 
and  indicative  rather  of  the  wisdom  than  the  age  of  the  per- 
sons; and  sometimes  also  bishops;  for  it  is  most  manifest 
that  both  terms  are  promiscuously  used  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment of  one  and  the  same  class  of  persons."  "In  those 
primitive  times  each  Christian  Church  was  composed  of  the 
people,  the  presiding  officers,  and  the  assistants  or  deacons. 


CHURCH    OFFICERS.  87 

These  must  be  the  component  parts  of  every  society.  The 
principal  voice  was  that  of  the  people;  or  of  the  whole  body 
of  Christians." — Eccl.  Hist.  Cent.  I.  part  2,  ch.  II.,  sees,  j,  8, 

Waddington  says: 

"  It  is  also  true  that  in  the  earliest  government  of  the  first 
Christian  Society — that  of  Jerusalem,  not  the  elders  only,  but 
the  whole  Church,  were  associated  with  the  Apostles;  and 
it  is  even  certain  that  the  terms  bishop  and  elder,  ox  presbyter, 
were  in  the  first  instance,  and  for  a  short  period,  sometimes 
used  synonymously,  and  indiscriminately  applied  to  the  same 
order  in  the  ministry." — Hist.  Ch.,  chap.  II.,  sec.  2. 

GiESELER  says: 

"  The  new  churches  everywhere  formed  themselves  on  the 
model  of  the  mother  Church  at  Jerusalem.  At  the  head  of 
each  were  the  elders  (presbyter,  bishop),  all  officially  of  equal 
rank,  though  in  several  instances  a  peculiar  authority  seems 
to  have  been  conceded  to  some  one  individual,  from  per- 
sonal considerations." — Ch.  Hist.,  Period  /.,  div.  I.,  chap. 
II.,  sec.  2g. 

Coleman  says: 

"It  is  generally  admitted  by  Episcopal  writers  on  this 
subject  that  in  the  New  Testament,  and  in  the  earliest  ecclesi- 
astical writers  the  terms  bishop  and  presbyter,  or  elder,  are 
synonymous,  and  denote  one  and  the  same  office."  "  The 
office  of  presbyter  was  undeniably  identical  with  that  of 
bishop,  as  has  been  shown  above."  "  Only  two  orders  of 
officers  are  known  in  the  Church  until  near  the  close  of  the 
second  century.  Those  of  the  first  are  styled  either  bishops 
ox  presbyters;  of  the  %^Q.oVidi,  deacons." — Ancient  Christianity 
Exemplified,  chap.  VIII.,  sec.  6;  chap.   VI.,  sec.  j. 

This  author  still  further  cites  many  of  the  early 
Christian   Fathers,  who  took  the  same  view  of  the 


88  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

subject,  declaring  that  only  two  orders  existed  in 
the  primitive  ministry,  and  that  all  pastors  were  of 
equal  rank  among  themselves.  Of  these  writers 
are:  Clement  of  Rome,  Polycarp,  Justin  Martyr, 
Irenaeus,  Jerome,  Chrysostom,  Theodoret  and  oth- 
ers; authorities  extending  from  A.  D.  lOO  to  A.  D. 
looo,  and  nearly  all  of  them  defenders  of  prelatical 
supremacy. 

Dr.  Jacobs,  an  Anglican  churchman,  says: 

"  The  only  bishops  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament 
were  simple  presbyters;  the  same  persons  being  called  bishop 
{episcopos),  superintendent,  overseer,  from  his  taking  an  over- 
sight of  his  congregation,  as  is  distinctly  shown  by  Acts  22:20 
and  other  passages;  and  a  presbyter  {presbuteros)  or  elder, 
from  the  reverence  due  to  age.  It  may,  however,  be  observed 
that  the  term  elder  is  of  Hebrew  origin,  while  that  of  bishop 
is  Hellenic,  and  is  applied  in  the  New  Testament  on^y  to  the 
officers  of  Gentile  churches,  though  it  did  not  supersede  the 
use  of  the  word  presbyter  among  them." — Eccl.  Polity  of 
N.  T.,  pp.  72-3, 

SCHAFF  says: 

"  Bishops  or  presbyters.  These  two  terms  denote  in  the 
New  Testament  the  same  office:  the  first  signifying  its  du- 
ties; the  second,  its  dignity." — Hist.  Christ.  Ch.,  First  period, 
sec.  42,  I. 

.   Kurtz  says: 

*'  That  originally  \h.^  presbuieroi  {€iA^x^  were  the  same  as 
the  episcopoi  (bishops),  we  gather  with  absolute  certainty 
from  the  statements  of  the  New  Testament,  and  of  Clement 
of  Rome,  a  disciple  of  the  Apostles." — Text-Book  of  Ch, 
Hist.,   Vol.  I.,  p.  67, 


CHURCH    OFFICERS.  89 

Prof.  Fisher  says: 

"  Until  we  approach  the  close  of  Elizabeth's  reign  there  is 
no  trace  in  the  Anglican  Church  of  the  jure  divino  idea  of 
episcopacy — the  doctrine  that  bishops  are  necessary  to  the 
being  of  a  Church,  and  that  without  episcopal  ordination  the 
functions  of  the  ministry  cannot  be  lawfully  discharged." — 
History  Christ.  Church,  p.  jyj. 

Prof.  Plumptre,  a  Church  of  England  clergy- 
man, and  a  prominent  biblical  scholar,  declares  the 
identity  of  episcopos  2iV\d  presbuteros  in  New  Testa- 
ment usage,  and  adduces  four  reasons  from  the 
Acts  and  the  Epistles  for  this  opinion.  To  his 
statement  and  proofs  he  adds: 

"  Assuming,  as  proved,  the  identity  of  bishops  and  elders 
of  the  New  Testament,  we  have  to  inquire  into  :  i.  The  re- 
lations which  existed  between  the  two  titles.  2.  The  func- 
tions and  mode  of  appointment  of  the  men  to  whom  both 
titles  applied.  3.  Their  relations  to  the  general  government 
and  discipline  of  the  Church." — Smith's  Bible  Diet.,  Art, 
Bishop. 

The  Ency.  Britannica  says: 

"  The  identity  of  the  office  of  bishop  and  presbyter  being 
thus  clearly  established,  it  follows  that  the  presbyterate  is 
the  highest  permanent  office  in  the  Church,  and  that  every 
faithful  pastor  of  a  flock  is  successor  to  the  Apostles  in  every- 
thing in  which  they  were  to  have  any  successors." — Art. 
Presbyterian. 

The  Pantalogia  says: 

*'  There  is  no  scriptural  difference  between  bishop  and 
presbyter."  Furthermore,  the  same  competent  authority  adds: 
"  To  this  purpose  the  declaration  made  of  the  functions  of 


90  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

bishops  and  priests,  signed  by  more  than  thirty  civilians  and 
divines,  among  whom  were  thirteen  bishops,  Cranmer  and 
others  included,  affirm  that  in  the  New  Testament  there  is  no 
mention  of  any  degrees  or  distinctions  in  orders,  but  only  of 
deacons,  or  ministers,  2Sidi priests  or  bishops." — Arts.  Bishop 
and  Presbyter. 

In  Acts  20:17  it  is  stated  that  Paul  called  to- 
gether the  elders  (presbyters)  of  the  Ephesian 
Church.  But  in  Acts  20  :  18,  he  calls  these  same 
persons  bishops  (overseers).  In  this  case  both 
terms  were  applied  to  the  same  office,  and  were 
used  interchangeably  to  designate  the  same  officer. 

Dean  Alford  says: 

"The  E.  V.  has  hardly  dealt  fairly  in  this  case  with  the 
sacred  text  in  rendering  episcopous,  v.  28,  over  seer s\  whereas, 
it  ought  there,  as  in  all  other  places,  to  have  been  bishops, 
that  the  fact  of  elders  and  bishops  having  been  originally  and 
apostolically  synonymous,  might  be  apparent  to  the  English 
reader." — Com.  on  Acts,  20  :  17.  "  The  episcopoi of  the  N.  T. 
have  nothing  in  common  with  our  bishops."  "  The  identity 
of  the  episcopos  and  presbuteros  in  apostolic  times  is  evident, 
from  Titus  i  :  5-7." — Com.  on  i  Tim.  j:  i. 

Paul  and  Timothy,  in  their  address  to  the  Phil- 
ippian  Christians,  specify  three  classes  as  composing 
the  Church,  and  manifestly  consider  these  as  con- 
stituting the  entire  body.  They  say:  "  To  all  the 
saints  in  Christ  Jesus,  which  are  at  Philippi,  with 
the  bishops  and  deacons'' — Phil.  I  :  I.  Saints,  bish- 
ops and  deacons,  therefore,  comprised  the  entire 
membership — the  whole  Church.  Bishops  and  pas- 
tors were  identical. 


CHURCH    OFFICERS.  9I 

Timothy  is  instructed  by  Paul  as  to  the  qualifi- 
cations necessary  for  those  who  should  be  chosen 
as  pastors  and  placed  over  the  churches.  These  of- 
ficers are  called  bishops.  Particular  directions  are 
given  as  to  the  choice  of  bishops  and  deacons^  but 
no  mention  is  here  made  of  elders  or  presbyters, 
clearly  because  they  were  the  same  as  bishops. — 
I  Tim.  3  :  i-io. 

Titus  is  in  like  manner  directed  by  Paul  to  place 
pastors  over  the  churches  in  Crete.  These  pastors 
he  calls  elders  in  the  fifth  verse  and  bishops  in  the 
seventh.  Here  both  terms  are  applied  to  the  same 
persons,  and  must  indicate  the  same  office. — Titus 

But  little  discussion  would  be  needed  on  a  ques- 
tion so  clear,  at  least  when  viewed  from  the  position 
of  the  apostolical  epistles,  were  it  not  for  the  per- 
tinacity with  which  the  somewhat  arrogant,  and 
not  seldom  offensive  assumption  is  put  forth  by 
Episcopal  denominations — both  clergy  and  laity — 
that  there  are  no  genuine  churches  save  those  duly 
organized  with  three  orders  in  their  ministry,  and 
no  scripturally  ordained  ministers  except  such  as 
have  been  ordained  by  the  imposition  of  hands  by 
Episcopal  bishops,  as  a  superior  order  of  the  clergy. 
How  groundless  and  absurd  such  lofty  pretensions 
are,  let  any  careful  reader  of  the  New  Testament 
judge.  The  "  historic  episcopate  "  finds  no  founda- 
tion and  no  warrant  in  the  New  Testament. 

During  their  lifetime  the  Apostles  would,  of  ne- 
cessity, be   regarded  with   peculiar  veneration,  as 


92  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

having  been  the  companions  of,  and  received  their 
appointment  directly  from,  Christ  Himself;  and, 
also,  as  having  been  specially  inspired  and  qualified 
for  their  work.  But  in  all  of  this,  they  had  no  suc- 
cessors. After  their  death,  such  pastors  as  had  as- 
sociated with  them,  or  had  been  appointed  to  office 
by  them,  would,  for  that  reason,  receive  special  re- 
gard from  the  churches  and  the  younger  ministry, 
and  this  special  regard  might  deepen  into  reverence 
so  profound  as  to  concede  them  a  foremost  official 
position — a  kind  of  patriarchal  attitude  among  the 
churches,  with  a  larger  dignity  of  office  and  a  larger 
liberty  of  action  than  was  allowed  to  others.  This 
in  time  could  easily  lead  to  the  recognition  of  a 
higher  rank  and  a  superior  order  in  the  ministry. 

Moreover,  in  process  of  time,  as  the  first  planted 
churches  in  the  more  important  cities  grew  older 
and  stronger,  they  might  readily  claim,  and  have 
accorded  to  them,  a  preeminence  over  the  newer 
and  feebler  —  especially  the  suburban  and  rural 
churches.  In  like  manner  the  pastors  of  the  older 
city  churches  could,  without  difficulty,  assume  a 
preeminence  over  the  pastors  of  the  smaller  churches 
about  them.  In  this  way  grew  up  the  rule  of 
the  metropolitan  churches  over  the  provincial 
churches,  and  the  authority  assumed  by  the  pas- 
tors of  the  former  over  their  brethren  in  humbler 
positions,  resulting  finally  in  a  clerical  caste,  or 
higher  order  of  the  clergy. 

GlESELER,  in  his  history  of  the  Church,  declares 
that: 


CHURCH    OFFICERS.  93 

*'A^ter  the  death  of  the  Apostles  and  their  pupils,  to 
whom  the  general  direction  of  the  churches  had  always  been 
conceded,  some  one  among  the  presbyters  of  each  Church 
was  suffered  gradually  to  take  the  lead  in  its  affairs.  In  the 
same  irregular  way  the  title  of  bishop  was  appropriated  by  this 
first  presbyter." — Ch.  Hz'st.,  Period  /.,  div.  /.,  chap.  III., 
sec.  J2. 

To  the  same  efifect  is  the  testimony  of  Neander 
and  nearly  all  early  Church  historians,  including 
many  prelatists.  Moreover,  it  appears  that  each 
Church  usually  contained  several  elders,  and  the 
one  among  them  who  presided  in  their  meetings, 
and,  whether  for  age  or  ability,  was  more  promi- 
nent, would  come  to  be  recognized  as  peculiarly 
the  episcopoSy  though  all  were  of  equal  rank.  Thus 
gradually  matured,  through  a  course  of  years,  either 
because  of  assumption  on  the  one  hand,  or  of  con- 
cession on  the  other,  or  of  both,  that  vast,  compli- 
cated and  despotical  system  of  ecclesiastical  domi- 
nation and  hierarchical  tyranny,  which  culminated 
in  the  oppressive  rule  of  the  Greek  and  Roman 
establishments,  falsely  called  churches. 

This  broad  departure  from  apostolic  practice,  and 
from  the  order  and  simplicity  of  the  Gospel,  was 
natural,  though  unfortunate,  and  no  imitation  of  it, 
however  remote,  should  be  countenanced  or  con- 
tinued now.  Its  course  of  evil  progress  is  easily 
traced  in  history,  and  generally  conceded  by  schol- 
ars and  divines.  Not  the  less  to  be  deplored  that 
it  was  begun  soon  after  the  Apostles  and  their  im- 
mediate successors  had  ceased   to  watch  over  and 


94  Tli^  NEW  DtRECtORY. 

guide,  by  their  wisdom  and  piety,  the  churches  they 
had  planted. 

THE  PASTORATE   AND   THE   MINISTRY. 

The  Pastorate  and  the  Ministry  are  related,  but 
not  identical.  A  pastor  is  a  minister,  but  a  minister 
is  not  necessarily  a  pastor.  The  minister  is  the 
kerux,  the  herald,  who  preaches  the  Gospel,  who 
proclaims  the  glad  tidings  to  men.  The  pastor  is 
the  poimen,  who  folds  and  feeds  and  leads  the  flock. 
The  pastor  has  the  care  of  a  Church;  the  minister  is 
a  preacher,  and  may  or  may  not  have  the  care  of  a 
Church.  James  is  understood  to  have  been  pastor 
of  the  Church  in  Jerusalem;  but  Paul  and  Barnabas, 
Apollos  and  Cephas  preached  the  Gospel  from  place 
to  place,  as  ambassadors  of  Christ  and  heralds  of  the 
great  salvation,  planting  churches  and  setting  in 
order  affairs,  but  without  a  local  and  permanent  cure 
of  souls. 

In  our  time — though  we  have  evangelists,  mis- 
sionaries and  other  ministerial  service  without  pas- 
toral responsibility — yet,  for  the  most  part,  ministe- 
rial service  is  identified  with  the  pastorate.  It  may 
be,  as  some  have  supposed,  that  in  primitive  times, 
when  in  each  Church  the  Spirit  developed  a  plural- 
ity of  ministers,  some — according  to  their  peculiar 
gifts  and  graces — devoted  themselves  especially  to 
pastoral  work,  as  each  Church  might  desire  or  have 
need,  and  some  to  preaching  only,  or  chiefly.  Cer- 
tainly, in  all  ages,  some  have  been  better  adapted 
to  the  one  department  of  the  ministry,  and  some  to 


CHURCH    Ol^FICERS.  9S 

the  other.  Thus  could  the  churches  have  the  largest 
amount  and  the  best  application  of  the  ministerial 
service,  and  be  most  edified. 

The  present  discussion  will  be  confined  to  the 
pastorate,  its  functions  and  relations,  leaving  a  more 
general  consideration  of  the  ministry  to  another 
chapter. 

I .  Nature  of  the  pastor  s  work. 

The  religious  cultivation  of  his  Church  and  con- 
gregation constitutes  the  peculiar  work  of  the  pas- 
tor. It  is  the  shepherding  of  the  flock.  He  is  not  to 
be  indifferent  to  their  temporal  interests,  but  their 
spiritual  welfare  is  his  special  charge.  He  is  to  be 
the  ever  ready,  sympathizing  and  helpful  friend  to 
all;  but  his  endeavors  should  aim  at,  and  be  made 
subservient  to,  the  ultimate  purpose  of  the  Gospel — 
to  win  souls  to  Christ,  and  edify  the  saints.  The 
details  of  his  work  will  be  manifold;  and  while  he 
should  not  assume  too  many  duties,  or  take  re- 
sponsibilities alien  to  his  proper  calling,  he  must 
not  too  hastily  repulse  those  who  repose  confidence 
in  him,  and  whom  he  may  be  able  in  many  ways  to 
benefit  by  a  variety  of  service. 

The  pulpit  will  constitute  the  stronghold  of  his 
power  on  his  congregation  and  the  community. 
For  though  a  pastor,  he  must  still  be  a  preacher,  a 
Gospel  herald  to  his  flock.  The  minister  is,  per- 
haps, first  of  all,  a  teacher.  Therefore  he  must  not 
neglect  his  preparations  for  the  pulpit.  If  he  can- 
not hold  the  people  by  his  preaching,  he  cannot  in 


96  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

any  other  way.  Many  devices  may  be  resorted  to, 
to  draw  and  hold  an  audience,  some  of  which  de- 
serve no  better  name  than  tricks,  which  if  they 
serve  their  purpose  at  all,  are  short-lived,  and  fail 
utterly  to  command  the  confidence  of  thoughtful 
people.  For,  while  some  men  have  not,  and  can- 
not have  the  same  attractive  power  in  the  pulpit  as 
others,  yet  sound  Gospel  sermons,  ably  prepared, 
and  earnestly  delivered,  constitute  the  only  kind  of 
pulpit  service  which  can  long  commend  itself  to  the 
consciences  of  the  people.  He  who  neglects  his 
pulpit  preparations  for  any  cause  whatever,  will 
find  frequent  pastoral  changes  to  be  imperative — 
and  possibly,  not  always  in  the  most  pleasant  way. 
The  same  will  be  true  of  him  who  relies  on  a  facility 
for  extemporaneous  discourse,  under  the  inspiration 
of  a  present  audience,  to  the  neglect  of  previous 
careful  preparation. 

Emphasis  must  also  be  laid  ow  pastoral  visitation. 
Here  peculiarly  he  is  the  pastor.  He  may  not  visit 
so  much  as  many  would  wish.  Some  are  never  satis- 
fied. Nor  should  he  visit  to  the  detriment  of  his 
pulpit  preparation.  Since,  according  to  the  present 
constitution  of  religious  society,  the  Christian  minis- 
ter is  expected  to  fill  the  twofold  office  of  preacher 
and  pastor,  he  should  labor  to  discharge  the  func- 
tions of  both,  with  the  greatest  possible  fidelity  and 
success,  giving  to  each  conscientiously  its  appro- 
priate share  of  his  ability.  He  must  know  his  peo- 
ple in  their  homes;  must  know  their  joys  and  sor- 
rows as  they  themselves  will  relate  them.     They 


CHURCH    OFFICERS.  97 

must  know  him,  as  they  cannot  know  him  in  the 
pulpit  simply.  Both  he  and  they  miss  boundless 
good,  if  this  be  not  done.  These  visits  should  be 
brief  and  religious.  They  should  not  degenerate 
into  social  chit-chat,  or  even  into  religious  gossip. 
They  must  not  be  morose  nor  melancholy,  but 
genial,  gentle  and  sympathetic.  Young  ministers 
may  find  it  hard  work,  and  dread  it  as  a  drudgery; 
but  they  will  come  to  feel  differently  when  for  a  few 
times  they  have  been  able  to  comfort  the  sorrowing, 
relieve  the  burdened,  and  know  the  luxury  of  doing 
good  to  those  in  trouble. 

It  would  not  be  just  nor  true  to  say,  that  the  pas- 
tor's sphere  is  exclusively  the  spiritual  life  of  the 
Church,  while  the  deacons  are  assigned  to  its  tem- 
poralities. The  pastor  has  the  oversight  and  super- 
intendence of  all  the  interests  of  the  Church,  and  of 
all  departments  of  its  work,  both  spiritual  and  tem- 
poral. And  while  he  should  not  lord  it  over  God's 
heritage,  he  should  feel  himself  responsible  for  the 
guardianship  and  watch-care  of  all  with  which  he  is 
put  in  trust.  Nor  should  he  needlessly  interfere 
with  the  deacons,  or  trustees,  or  Sunday-school 
workers,  nor  assume  dictatorial  authority  over 
others  in  their  service.  Yet  it  is  his  privilege  and 
his  duty  to  hold  a  watchful  supervision  over  all, 
that  all  may  be  done  to  the  edifying  of  the  body  of 
Christ. 

The  pastor  should  have  great  care  for  the  relig- 
ious culture  of  children  and  the  youth.  But  not  to  the 
neglect  of  others.     Class  distinctions  are  invidious, 


9§  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

unhappy  in  their  influence  in  a  Church,  and  should 
never  be  encouraged,  or  countenanced.  As  this  is 
not  a  treatise  on  pastoral  duties,  it  need  be  pur- 
sued no  further  than  to  say,  the  pastorate  should 
be  assumed,  not  of  constraint,  nor  for  selfish  ends,  but 
out  of  love  to  Christ,  and  for  the  triumphs  of  His 
truth. 

Note. — Ministers  are  not /r/Vj/j  in  any  ecclesiastical  sense 
to  offer  sacrifices  on  behalf  of  the  people,  or  propitiate  an 
offended  Deity;  nor  yet  do  they  mediate  between  God  and 
men,  as  is  taught  by  the  Romish,  and  other  sacramenta-. 
rian  communions.  They  cannot  consecrate  elements,  and 
have  no  exclusive  right  to  the  ministration  of  sacraments— ► 
indeed,  there  are  no  sacraments,  in  the  commonly  understood 
sense  of  that  term,  as  means  which  in  themselves  effectually 
convey  grace.  The  minister  is  not  a  priest,  save  in  that  sense 
in  which  all  true  Christians  constitute  a  "  royal  priesthood." 
Sainthood,  therefore,  without  distinction  of  rank  or  office, 
constitutes  a  spiritual  priesthood.  Thus  also  said  Peter  to 
the  elect  believers,  scattered  abroad.  "Ye  also  as  living 
stones,  are  built  up  a  spiritual  house,  to  be  a  holy  priest- 
hood, to  offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices,  acceptable  to  God, 
through  Jesus  Christ."  "A  chosen  generation,  a  royal 
priesthood,  a  holy  nation,  a  peculiar  people." — i  Peter  2:  5, 
9.  Christ  Jesus,  the  Great  High-Priest  of  our  profession,  is 
the  one  only  mediator  between  God  and  men. 

2.  How  pastors  are  obtained. 

If  it  be  asked  how  the  churches  are  to  secure  pas- 
tors, the  reply  is,  by  election,  as  the  free  choice  of 
the  people,  in  each  individual  Church.  It  is  an  es- 
sential part  of  the  independency  of  the  churches,  the 
right  to  choose  their  pastors  and  teachers;  and  that 


CHURCH    OFFICERS.  99 

no  individual,  or  combination  of  men,  can  appoint 
pastors  over  therh,  or  compel  a  Church  to  accept  as 
officers  those  whom  they  have  not  chosen  by  their 
free  suffrages.  This  is  the  polity  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, and  has  ever  been  the  usage  of  our  people. 
A  free  people  demand  and  maintain  the  right  to 
choose  their  own  rulers.  They  may  ask,  or  accept 
advice;  but  no  man  is  a  pastor  to  any  people  until 
he  has  been  chosen  by  a  majority  vote  of  that 
Church.  Nor  does  it  require  the  consent  of  any 
synod,  presbytery  or  council  for  him  to  enter  at 
once  upon  the  duties  of  the  office.  Primarily  and 
properly,  though  not  necessarily,  the  pastor  is  chos- 
en from  among  the  members,  after  the  Church  has 
had  evidence  that  the  Spirit  had  called  to,  and  fitted 
him  for,  the  work  of  the  ministry;  and  after  having 
abundant  evidence  of  his  adaptation  to  the  position. 
But  if  not  a  member  of  that  particular  Church,  he 
should  become  such  before  entering  upon  his  official 
duties,  as  pastor  of  it. 

The  selection  and  election  of  a  pastor  is  one  of 
the  most  important  acts — if  not  the  most  important 
— pertaining  to  the  independency  of  the  Church. 
The  interest  of  the  body,  and  the  welfare  of  religion 
depend  so  largely  on  it,  that  it  should  be  entered 
upon  with  the  utmost  care,  deliberation  and  prayer 
— prayer  for  divine  direction.  That  a  wise  and  safe 
leader,  an  able  and  instructing  teacher,  a  devout, 
spiritual  and  holy  man  may  be  secured  for  the  sacred 
office,  and  that  the  choice  be  influenced  by  no  carnal 
ambition,  by  no  personal  prejudices,  and  for  no  selfish 


too  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

ends,  When  the  choice  is  made,  and  the  pastor 
secured,  then  let  him  be  received,  loved,  supported, 
honored  and  obeyed,  as  one  sent  of  God  for  this 
sacred  work. 

And  let  it  be  further  considered  that  no  man  can 
do  of  himself  all  that  is  desired  and  expected  of  a 
pastor.  He  must  not  only  have  divine  help,  but  he 
must  have  the  sympathy,  codperation,  and  prayers 
of  the  Church.  Some  miserable  failures  in  the  min- 
istry are  due  to  the  faults  of  the  ministers  them- 
selves; still  more  are  due  to  the  churches,  which 
too  often  abuse  what  they  professed  was  the  gift  of 
God,  when  they  secured  their  pastors. 

3.   The  Pastor's  Authority. 

.  The  pastor  is  to  be  loved,  honored  and  obeyed,  in 
the  Lord.  He  is  placed  over  the  Church  by  both 
the  Head  of  the  body,  and  by  the  free  and  voluntary 
act  of  the  body  itself.  Though  he  professes  no 
magisterial  authority,  and  has  no  power,  either 
spiritual  or  temporal,  to  enforce  mandates  or  inflict 
penalties,  yet  the  very  position  he  occupies  as 
teacher  and  leader  supposes  authority  vested  in  him. 
On  the  one  hand,  the  minister  is  not  to  be  regarded 
with  ignorant  and  blind  devotion,  as  if  possessed  of 
superhuman  attributes,  whose  official  acts  must  be 
venerated  even  though  his  private  life  be  scandal- 
ous;  nor  yet,  on  the  other  hand,  is  he  to  be  con- 
sidered a  mere  puppet  for  the  capricious  mistreat- 
ment of  such  as  wish  to  show  their  independence, 
and  "  use  their  liberty  for  a  cloak  of  maliciousness." 


CHURCH   OFFICERS.  'lOI 

As  a  rule,  the  pastor  who  maintains  a  dignified 
and  consistent  Christian  and  ministerial  life,  com- 
mending himself  to  the  confidence  of  the  people, 
will  receive  all  the  deference  he  desires,  and  will 
have  accorded  to  him  all  that  personal  respect  and 
official  reverence  which  he  needs  to  claim.  His 
authority  will  be  a  moral  force,  to  which  those  who 
love  and  honor  him  will  yield.  He  need  not  worry 
and  fret  because  he  does  not  receive  the  respect 
which  he  thinks  his  due.  Let  him  command  it  by 
his  character  and  deportment.  He  may  too  much 
attempt  to  enforce  his  authority.  As  a  preacher  of 
the  gospel  his  authority  is  of  another  and  a  higher 
kind,  in  that  he  is  an  ambassador  from  the  king, 
and  speaks  with  an  authority  more  than  human. 
True,  his  words,  even  in  the  pulpit,  are  not  beyond 
question,  since  they  are  to  be  judged  by  the  infalli- 
ble standard  of  the  word  of  God.  But  in  the  ad- 
ministration of  Church  affairs  he  should  secure  the 
cooperation  of  his  members,  and  gain  his  object  by 
reason  and  persuasion,  rather  than  attempt  to  force 
compliance  by  authoritative  dictation. 

4.  Length  of  the  Pastorate, 

The  spirit  of  Christian  liberty,  and  the  voluntary 
principle  on  which  all  Christian  institutions  should 
be  supported,  control  the  relations  of  pastor  and 
people.  There  is  no  power  that  can  compel  a  Church 
to  accept  a  pastor,  or  a  pastor  to  accept  a  Church. 
The  relation  is  formed  by  mutual  agreement  between 
them.     And  when  once  formed,  the  relation  can  be 


I0'2'  '■'  '  *THE  .^EW*  DIRECTORY. 

dissolved  by  no  external  authority,  civil  or  eccle- 
siastical, but  by  the  mutual  consent  of  the  parties 
themselves.  In  some  of  the  other  denominations, 
where  ecclesiastical  systems  instead  of  Church  in- 
dependency prevail,  the  relations  of  the  pastorate 
are  regulated  by  higher  official  authority,  instead  of 
by  the  mutual  agreement  of  the  parties.  Even 
there,  however,  the  free  spirit  of  religious  life  mani- 
fests itself,  indirectly,  if  not  directly,  and  the  churches 
do  not  quietly  consent  to  receive  pastors  unwel- 
come to  them,  nor  to  retain  them  when  the  relation 
becomes  irksome,  notwithstanding  the  action  of 
bishops,  conferences,  or  presbyteries. 

The  ideal  pastorate  is,  no  doubt,  life-long ;  but  in 
practical  life  this  is  seldom  realized.  In  theory 
there  is  something  beautiful  in  the  case  of  a  minister 
who  spends  his  whole  life  among  the  same  people, 
loved,  honored  and  venerated  till  his  death  ;  around 
whom  the  new  generation  grows  up  as  his  support- 
ers, when  the  fathers  have  passed  away.  Honored 
by  his  compeers,  loved  by  the  young,  venerated  by 
the  children,  he  becomes  the  typical  patriarch  and 
shepherd  of  the  flock.  Such  things  have  been  ;  but 
seldom  can  they  now  be  found — certainly  not  in  our 
denomination.  And  perhaps,  on  the  whole,  it  may 
be  just  as  well.  The  restless  spirit  of  a  headlong 
age  and  a  busy  life  demands  change — change  in  hope 
of  progress,  but  change  at  any  rate.  The  romance 
of  a  beautiful  theory  cannot  control  the  activities 
of  society,  not  even  in  Christian  circles,  since  there, 
also,  a  carnal,  utilitarian  spirit  is  likely  to  rule. 


CHURCH   OFFICERS.  IO3 

It  is  unquestionably  true  that  the  long  pastorates 
have  their  trials  no  less  severe — sometimes  more 
painful — than  short  ones.  The  pastor  has  more 
than  once  seen  the  time  when,  restless  and  uneasy, 
he  would  gladly  have  resigned,  had  any  eligible 
field  elsewhere  opened  for  him.  And  the  Church 
has  more  than  once  seen  the  time  when  it  would 
have  rejoiced  at  a  change,  but  had  too  much  regard 
for  him,  and  too  much  respect  for  themselves,  to 
force  a  change.  Many  a  pastor,  who  has  the  faculty 
of  ''holding  on,"  has  outlived  his  usefulness  on  a 
given  field,  either  because  devoted  to  the  theory  of 
long  pastorates,  or  because  he  saw  no  way  to  better 
his  situation  ;  and  that,  too,  very  likely,  when  he 
knew  the  people  would  be  quite  willing  for  a  change. 
Quite  willing  for  a  change  for  the  sake  of  the  cause, 
though  they  loved  and  honored  him. 

Quite  as  unfortunate  in  its  effects,  and  more  fre- 
quently than  long  and  fruitless  pastorates,  is  the 
sudden  and  hasty  change  so  often  made  by  many, 
and  sometimes  on  the  most  trivial  occasion.  There 
are  in  every  Church,  most  likely,  mischief-makers, 
whose  influence  is  chiefly  felt  in  opposing  others 
and  stirring  up  strife.  Let  a  pastor  possess  his  soul 
in  patience,  and  not  be  made  unhappy  by  every 
little  cross-current  in  his  affairs.  But  if  any  consid- 
erable number  of  his  kind,  prudent  and  judicious 
brethren  think  a  change  is  desirable;  or  if  he  him- 
self, after  long  and  prayerful  consideration,  believes 
it  his  duty  to  leave,  let  him  act  accordingly.  But 
let  a  minister  flee  "  Church  quarrels  "  as  he  would  a 


I04  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY, 

pestilence.  .  He  may  not  be  responsible  for  them, 
but  if  he  becomes  involved  in  them,  though  the 
merits  of  the  case  may  be  on  his  side,  yet  he  can- 
not remain  to  fight  them  out  without  suffering  more 
in  peace  of  mind  and  reputation  than  any  victory  he 
can  win  will  be  worth.  Let  him  retire  to  more 
quiet  fields,  where  he  can  live  in  peace  and  do  good 
without  conflict,  and  leave  the  fighting  to  those 
who  have  less  at  stake.  The  world  is  wide,  and 
he  can  do  good  and  be  happy  in  many  another 
field. 

5.  Pastoral  Support. 

A  pastor  should  be  well  and  generously  supported 
as  to  his  salary,  according  to  the  ability  of  the 
Church  he  serves.  Few  things  exhibit  the  essential 
meanness  of  human  nature — Christian  human  nature 
even — more  clearly  than  for  a  people  to  stint  and 
crowd  a  pastor  down  to  the  smallest  pittance,  while 
they  have  an  abundance,  or  live  in  affluence.  The 
tfue  minister  of  Christ  will  cheerfully  share  necessi- 
ties with  his  people.  But  it  is  cruel  and  contempti- 
ble for  them  to  lade  him  with  heavy  burdens  which 
they  are  not  willing  to  help  him  bear.  He  will  not 
expect  to  live  up  to  the  standard  of  the  wealthiest ; 
he  ought  not  to  be  expected  to  live  down  to  the 
standard  of  the  poorest.  And  if  there  be  one  thing 
more  dishonorable  than  cramping  him  to  the  smallest 
amount  of  salary,  it  is  that  refinement  of  cruelty  of  not 
paying  him  the  salary  agreed  upon,  when  it  is  due, 
compelling  him  to  endure  the  shame  and  grief  of 


CHURCH   OFFICERS.  10$ 

living  in  debt,  unable  to  pay  for  the  necessaries  of 
life,  while  they  have  an  abundance. 

When  the  Church  extends  a  call  they  name  the 
amount  they  are  willing  to  pay.  Of  course  it  is 
optional  with  him  whether  to  accept  the  call  on 
such  conditions.  If  he  does,  he  cannot  find  fault 
that  they  give  no  more.  Unless,  indeed,  as  is  not 
unfrequently  the  case,  they  delude  him  with  the 
promise  that  they  will  increase  the  amount  the  next 
year ;  a  promise  often  made,  but  very  seldom  kept. 
But  let  the  stipulated  sum  be  regularly  and  promptly 
paid,  otherwise  he  will  not  be  able  promptly  to  pay 
his  debts,  and  his  reputation  will  be  compromised, 
and  his  character  imperiled.  It  is  a  fearfully  bad 
and  injurious  thing  for  a  clergyman  to  get  the  name 
of  not  paying  his  debts.  In  the  payment  of  salary, 
never  allow  donations  and  personal  presents  to  be 
counted.  It  is  little  less  than  an  insult  to  ask  a 
minister  to  discount  his  salary  for  a  bushel  of  pota- 
toes, a  bag  of  meal,  or  a  barrel  of  apples.  These 
personal  presents  are  of  value  in  the  family;  can 
often  be  made  without  sacrifice,  and  will  go  far  to 
eke  out  a  scanty  support.  But  let  them  be  per- 
sonal presents  and  the  salary  come  by  itself,  in  full 
tale,  and  promptly. 

It  may  be  added  also,  with  propriety,  that  a  min- 
ister devoted  to  Christian  work  should  not  engage 
in  secular  employments  simply  for  the  purpose  of 
making  money.  But  if  the  Church  cannot,  or  will 
not,  support  him  in  comfort,  he  may,  if  opportunity 
offers,  add  by  the  labors  of  his  hands  what  will  re- 


I06  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

lieve  himself  and  family  from  want — as  Paul  sus- 
tained himself  by  tent-making  that  he  might  the 
better  preach  the  Gospel. 

6.   The  Pastor  a  Peacemaker. 

Troubles  in  Church  life  unfortunately  do  some- 
times arise.  And  whether  the  pastor  be  the  cause, 
or  only  the  victim  of  them,  he  always  more  or  less 
suffers  from  them.  Very  many  of  these  troubles  are 
no  doubt  to  be  charged  upon  pastors  themselves. 
If  they  do  not  originate  them,  their  indiscreet  and 
unwise  management  and  partisan  conduct  foment 
instead  of  allaying  dissension.  Some  pastors,  like 
some  private  members,  are  imprudent,  irascible, 
impetuous  and  severe.  It  is  not  wise  to  give  heed 
to  everything  said  and  done.  Many  exasperating 
things  are  cured  or  conquered  by  letting  them  alone. 
A  minister  of  the  Gospel,  of  all  men,  should  be  a 
peacemaker.  He  should  soothe  and  heal.  It  is 
better  for  himself  and  better  for  all  concerned.  He 
must  ''endure  hardness  as  a  good  soldier  of  Jesus 
Christ."  Of  course  he  has  his  rights,  which  are  not 
to  be  lightly  invaded ;  he  is  not  required  to  be 
trifled  with,  or  trampled  on,  for  the  sport  of  the 
envious  or  the  vile.  But  he  is  to  be  an  example  to 
the  flock  in  patient  endurance. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  Church  should  carefully 
guard  the  reputation  and  the  feelings  of  their 
pastor,  and  not  allow  the  gossip-loving  or  the  en- 
vious to  assail  him.  His  people  are  bound  to  pro- 
tect him.     If  he  be  in  fault,  let  them  tell  him  so, 


CHURCH   OFFICERS.  IO7 

and  win  him  from  his  mistakes.  A  pastor  ought 
not  to  be  compelled  to  stand  guard  as  a  watchful 
sentinel  over  his  own  good  name,  to  defend  it 
against  the  idle  but  wicked  calumnies  of  mischiev- 
ous tongues.  There  ought  to  be  advocates  and  de- 
fenders on  every  side.  Ordinarily  there  will  be. 
Both  pastor  and  people  should  regard  all  dissension 
and  strife  with  so  much  dread  as  to  check  it  by  any 
amount  of  effort  and  sacrifice  at  the  very  beginning. 
If,  however,  it  defies  all  attempts  at  repression,  and 
involves  the  peace  and  harmony  of  the  Church,  the 
pastor  will  find  it  wise  to  flee  from  the  windy  storm, 
and  serve  the  cause  he  loves  in  some  more  quiet 
sphere. 

Churches  cannot  be  expected  to  prosper,  or  the 
Gospel  to  have  free  course,  while  rent  by  dissen- 
sion and  strife,  especially  if  it  be  strife  connected 
with,  or  on  account  of  the  pastor.  The  philosophy 
of  spiritual  and  religious  growth  is  the  same  now  as 
at  first,  when  this  record  was  made :  "  Then  had 
the  churches  rest  throughout  all  Judea  and  Galilee 
and  Samaria,  and  were  edified ;  and  walking  in  the 
fear  of  the  Lord,  and  in  the  comfort  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  were  multiplied." — Acts  9:31. 

Note  i. — Great  care  is  needed  in  the  selection  of  a  pastor. 
Grave  interests  are  committed  to  his  charge,  as  the  religious 
teacher,  leader,  and  example  for  the  flock.  Very  serious  re- 
sponsibility devolves  on  the  deacons  and  leading  members  of 
the  Church  especially.  An  act  so  vitally  connected  with  the 
welfare  of  the  cause  and  the  spread  of  the  Gospel,  should  be 
preceded  by,  and  accompanied  with,  earnest  and  protracted 
prayer  for  divine  direction  in  the  choice. 


f08  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Note  2. — In  calling  a  man  to  the  pastorate,  the  Church 
should  take  deliberate  care  to  know  his  record;  what  he  has 
done  elsewhere,  and  how  he  is  esteemed  and  valued  where  he 
has  previously  lived  and  labored.  It  is  a  piece  of  reckless 
folly,  of  which  churches  are  often  guilty — and  for  which  they 
justly  suffer — that  on  the  credit  of  a  few  flashy  or  fascinating 
sermons,  wholly  ignorant  of  his  private  character  and  of  his 
ministerial  history,  they  call  and  settle  a  pastor.  A  man  of 
deep  piety,  thoroughly  in  love  with  the  word  of  God,  is 
much  to  be  preferred  to  the  brilliant  platform  declaimer. 

Note  3. — If  a  young  man  without  a  record  is  called  to  be 
ordained  and  begin  his  pastorate,  his  reputation  for  piety, 
sound  sense,  and  pulpit  ability  should  be  carefully  considered 
and  well  understood.  If  he  be  of  the  right  spirit  and  the 
right  material,  he  will  grow  into  larger  usefulness  through 
study,  the  endowment  of  the  Spirit,  and  the  prayers  of  the 
people. 

Note  4. — In  giving  a  call,  the  Church  usually  appoints  a 
meeting  for  that  express  purpose,  notice  being  publicly  given 
two  Sundays  in  succession,  the  purpose  of  the  meeting  being 
distinctly  stated  in  the  notice,  and  a  three-quarters  vote  of  all 
present  at  such  a  meeting  should  be  deemed  essential  to  a 
call.  Certainly  no  prudent  or  self-respecting  man  would  ac- 
cept a  call  on  anything  less  than  that.  Nor  even  on  that  if 
but  a  very  small  number  are  opposed  to  him.  Such  meeting 
should  be  managed  with  Christian  sincerity,  without  caucus- 
ing or  partisanship  for  the  purpose  of  electing  a  favorite 
man.  The  candidate  should  be  informed  exactly  how  the 
vote  stands,  and  what  the  feeling  toward  him  is,  concealing 
nothing.  Let  there  be  transparent  honesty  in  so  delicate  and 
important  a  matter,  and  no  deception  practised. 

Note  5. — The  connection  between  pastor  and  people  is 
sometimes  made  for  a  specified  and  limited  time.  But  more 
generally — now  almost  universally — for  an  indefinite  time,  to 
be  dissolved  at  the  option  of  either  party,  by  giving  three 
months  notice;  or  otherwise  by  mutual  agreement.     Perma- 


CHURCH   OFFICERS.  IO9 

nency  in  this  relation  is  greatly  to  be  desired,  as  tending  to 
the  best  good  of  all  concerned,  if  it  be  the  permanency  of 
active  concord.  Trifling  disadvantages  are  better  endured 
than  remedied  at  the  expense  of  more  serious  evils,  which 
frequent  changes  seldom  fail  to  bring  to  both  pastor  and 
people. 

Note  6. — The  too  common  practice  of  hearing  many  can- 
didates preach  on  trial  cannot  be  approved,  and  usually 
works  evil  to  the  Church  which  indulges  in  it.  A  few  ser- 
mons preached  under  such  circumstances  form  no  just  cri- 
terion of  a  man's  ministerial  ability,  pastoral  qualifications,  or 
personal  worth.  \i  the  churches  wish  to  avoid  men  unsuited 
to  them,  and  especially  if  they  wish  to  escape  the  plague  of 
unworthy  men  in  their  pulpits,  they  must  use  more  caution 
in  the  calling  and  settlement  of  pastors. 

Note  7. — Is  it  right  for  one  Church  to  call  a  pastor  away 
from  another  Church  ?  Merely  to  call  a  man  would  be  neither 
wrong  nor  dishonorable — would  violate  no  law  of  personal 
courtesy  or  of  Christian  comity  as  among  the  churches.  Let 
the  responsibility,  then,  rest  with  him  of  accepting  or  declining 
the  call.  But  if  one  Church  should  use  other  means  to  unsettle 
him  by  arguments,  persuasions,  and  the  offer  of  special  in- 
ducements, it  would  be  both  unchristian  and  dishonorable. 
It  would  surely  not  be  doing  as  they  would  wish  to  be  done  by. 

II.     DEACONS. 

The  term  deacon  {diakonos)  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment means  a  minister;  a  servant;  one  who  minis- 
ters to,  or  serves  others.  This,  taken  in  a  large 
sense,  gives  a  very  wide  range  of  meaning  to  the 
word.  It  is  applied  to  the  Apostles  and  even  to 
Christ  himself.  In  ecclesiastical  usage,  however, 
it  designates  an  officer  in  the  Church.  But  precisely 
what  relation  the  diaconate  sustains  to  the  Church 


no  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

and  the  pastorate  is  a  matter  of  opinion  or  of  inter- 
pretation, in  respect  to  which  men  differ. 

Those  who  favor  prelatical  forms  of  Church  or- 
ganization and  government,  claim,  as  has  been  here- 
tofore stated,  a  threefold  ministry,  and  demand  an 
episcopate^  a  pastorate^  and  a  diaconate.  The  dea- 
con, then,  is  the  first  and  lowest  order  of  the  min- 
istry. But  Presbyterian  and  Independent  Churches 
reject  the  episcopate,  holding  that  bishop  and  pastor 
are  the  same,  and  the  deaconshipdoes  not  constitute 
an  order  in  the  ministry,  taking  that  word  in  its  ordi- 
nary sense,  though  the  deacon  be  in  the  primitive 
sense  a  minister,  but  a  minister  of  temporalities,  and 
a  helper  to  the  pastor  in  his  ministry  of  the  Word. 

I.   Their  Origin. 

The  diaconate  is  usually  supposed  to  have  origin- 
ated in  the  election  of  the  Seven,  as  helpers  to  the 
Apostles,  recorded  in  Acts  6 :  i  -  6  ;  though  they 
were  not  called  deacons.  Some,  however,  have  re- 
garded the  election  of  the  Seven  as  a  temporary 
expedient  to  meet  that  special  emergency,  and  claim 
that  they  had  no  successors.  But  inasmuch  as  a 
similar  service  in  Church  work  became  permanent, 
similar  help  would  be  permanently  needed.  Also 
since  the  Apostle  subsequently  recognized  the 
office  in  the  Epistles  to  Timothy  and  Titus,  giving 
specific  directions  as  to  the  qualifications  necessary 
for  those  who  should  fill  it,  we  are  in  no  great  per- 
plexity as  to  the  fact  or  the  nature  of  the  diaconate 
as  permanent  in  the  churches. 


CHURCH   OFFICERS.  Ill 

Subsequent  to  the  Pentecost,  the  large  ingather- 
ing of  converts  had  so  multiplied  the  number,  that 
the  care  of  the  needy  among  them  and  such  tem- 
poral concerns  as  were  a  necessity,  became  a  bur- 
den to  the  Apostles,  so  great  as  seriously  to  inter- 
fere with  their  spiritual  duties  in  the  ministry  of  the 
word.  Hence,  having  called  the  multitude  of  the 
disciples  together,  they  explained  the  matter  and 
requested  them  to  select  "  seven  men  of  honest  re- 
port, full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  wisdom,"  to  whom 
this  service  should  be  committed,  that  they  them- 
selves might  "  give  themselves  continually  to  prayer 
and  to  the  ministry  of  the  word."  This  request  was 
complied  with  and  seven  men  selected,  whom  the 
Apostles,  set  apart  to  the  work  for  which  they  were 
chosen,  by  prayer  and  the  laying  on  of  hands. 

2.    Their  Duties. 

They  are  to  be  chosen  by  a  free  vote  of  the 
Church — ''the  multitude  of  the  disciples" — and  are 
to  be  faithful,  prudent,  experienced,  and  devout 
men.  They  are  to  have  charge  of  the  sick  and 
needy  members,  and  whatever  temporal  affairs  may 
require  attention.  They  are  also  to  act  as  counsel- 
ors and  assistants  of  the  pastor  in  advancing  the 
general  interests  of  the  body,  both  temporal  and 
spiritual.  Of  the  original  seven,  Philip  and  Stephen 
were  most  effective  preachers  of  the  Gospel,  but  it 
was  not  for  this  they  were  specially  chosen.  With 
many  of  our  churches  the  deaconship  has  come  to 
be  a  merely  nominal  affair,  regarded  as  of  small  im« 


112  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

portance,  and  accomplishing  a  questionable  service. 
This  ought  not  so  to  be. 

3.  Their  Number, 

The  number  of  deacons  in  a  Church  is  a  matter 
discretionary  with  the  body.  Usually  it  is  from  two 
to  seven,  according  to  the  conditions  and  necessities 
of  the  case  ;  the  latter  being  the  original  scriptural 
number,  many  unwisely  consider  it  needful  to  have 
seven,  whether  the  Church  be  large  or  small.  Dea- 
cons, however,  should  not  be  appointed  merely  to 
keep  the  ranks  full,  nor  as  official  ornaments,  but 
only  for  real  and  needed  service  to  be  rendered  by 
them.  And  the  men  appointed  should  be  fit  men 
for  that  service. 

4.  Their  Time  of  Service. 

The  period  of  time  for  which  they  are  chosen,  as 
well  as  the  number,  is  discretionary  with  the  Church, 
since  no  scriptural  precept  or  precedent  directs. 
More  commonly  they  have  been  chosen  for  an  in- 
definite period,  which  was  substantially  for  life,  un- 
less they  resigned,  died,  or  removed.  But  since  it  not 
unfrequently  happens  that  persons  in  the  office  be- 
come inefficient  and  sometimes  obstructive,  the 
practice  of  electing  them  for  a  limited  period  has 
come  to  be  quite  prevalent ;  generally  for  three 
years.  In  this  way  the  office  expires  by  limitation, 
and  if  better  men  are  available  they  can  be  chosen 
without  offense.  Which  is  the  better  rule,  each 
Church  must  judge  for  itself.     Other  things  being 


CHURCH   OFFICERS.  II3 

equal,  permanency  in  this  as  well  as  in  the  pastoral 
office,  usually  tends  to  secure  a  higher  regard  for  the 
office  itself  and  greater  usefulness  on  the  part  of 
those  who  fill  it. 

5.    Their  Ordination. 

The  Seven  were  set  apart  to  the  discharge  of  their 
duties  by  prayer  and  the  laying  on  of  hands  by  the 
Apostles,  as  indicating  the  sacred  and  important 
duties  committed  to  them.  In  our  older  churches 
this  practice  was  carefully  adhered  to,  as  it  still  is 
by  some,  particularly  at  the  South.  But  in  many 
parts,  of  late,  it  has  fallen  very  much  into  disuse, 
and  the  diaconate  is  regarded  as  little  more  than  a 
committee  service.  The  office  is  coming  to  be  far 
too  little  esteemed,  and  the  scriptural  qualifications 
of  the  men  chosen,  too  little  insisted  on.  Ordina- 
tion, if  generally  practised,  would  invest  both  with 
more  importance.  Too  much  care  cannot  be  taken 
to  secure  the  right  kind  of  men  for  the  ofifice,  when 
we  consider  that  the  permanent  influence  of  a  dea- 
con is  scarcely  surpassed  by  that  of  the  pastor  him- 
self. A  good  deacon  is  a  peculiar  blessing  both  to 
the  pastor  and  the  Church. 

Note  i. — Notice  that  the  deaconship  was  not  instituted 
by  Christ,  but  by  the  Apostles,  and  grew  out  of  the  emer- 
gencies of  the  case.  The  fact  that  Paul  subsequently  recog- 
nized the  office  and  specified  the  qualifications  which  the 
incumbents  should  possess,  shows  that  it  was  to  remain  a  part 
of  the  permanent  constitution  of  the  churches. 

Note  2. — The  Seven  were  elected  by  the  Church,  that  is, 
8 


il4  tHE   NEW   DIRECTOkV. 

by  "  the  multitude  of  the  disciples  ; "  they  were  chosen  from 
among  their  own  number,  but  their  setting  apart  or  designa- 
tion to  their  work  was  by  the  Apostles  with  prayer  and  the 
laying  on  of  hands.  This  is  called  their  ordination,  and  gave 
added  importance  and  impressiveness  to  the  office,  and  the 
work  to  which  they  were  chosen. 

Note  3. — Itdeservesnotice  that  while  no  instance  is  found 
in  the  New  Testament  in  which  any  preacher  of  the  Gospel  was 
inducted  into  his  office  by  formal  ordination  or  by  any  cere- 
mony whatever — hands  were  laid  on  Paul  and  Barnabas  when 
sent  to  the  heathen,  but  they  had  then  been  in  the  ministry 
many  years — now  ceremonial  ordination  to  the  ministry  is 
strenuously  insisted  on.  And  yet,  while  we  have  primitive 
precedent  for  formal  ordination  of  deacons,  now  that  cere- 
mony is  very  generally  disregarded. 

Note  4. — The  qualifications  made  requisite  for  the  office 
sufficiently  indicate  its  importance,  and  the  care  with  which 
it  should  be  filled.  "  Men  of  honest  report,  full  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  and  of  wisdom."  Indeed,  these  qualifications  differ 
but  slightly  from  those  required  for  bishops  or  pastors. 

Note  5. — It  is  evident  from  the  character  of  the  Seven,  and 
the  personal  history  of  some  of  them  subsequently,  that  while 
their  specific  official  duties  were  the  temporalities  of  the 
Church,  yet  at  the  same  time  they  were  foremost  as  counsel- 
ors and  co-adjutors  with  the  Apostles  in  the  spiritual  inter- 
ests as  well.  Having  been  among  the  most  devout,  prudent, 
and  faithful  before  their  election,  and  as  the  reason  for  their 
election,  they  would  not  be  less  so  afterward.  Such  are  the 
men  for  the  office. 

Note  6. — Some  people  and  some  churches  seem  to  think, 
that  about  the  only  duty  of  a  deacon  is  to  pass  the  elements 
at  the  celebration  of  the  Supper.  And  so  the  office  becomes 
almost  a  nullity.  Any  one  on  whom  the  pastor  may  call  can 
pass  the  elements.  The  original  ' '  serving  of  tables  "  was 
quite  a  different  work  from  this.  The  diaconate  implies  a 
substantial  and  an  important  service  in  the  Church,  of  which 


CHURCH   Ol^FICERS.  115 

the  serving  at  the  Supper  is  a  proper,  but  only  an  incidental 
adjunct.  If  their  practical  relations  to  the  Church  be  reduced 
to  this,  they  may  well  be  considered  as  little  more  than  an 
ornamental  appendage  to  an  organization. 

Note  7. — The  secular  concerns  of  the  Church,  including 
its  financial  affairs,  would  seem  legitimately  to  be  embraced 
in  the  duties  of  the  deaconship  according  to  the  original  pur- 
pose, as  belonging  to  its  temporalities,  but  now  these  matters 
are  usually  committed  to  an  entirely  different  class  of  men 
known  as  trustees,  elected  under  the  specific  direction  of  State 
laws. 

Note  8. — Deacons  should  be  watchful  guardians  of  the 
purity  and  good  order  of  the  churches,  striving  to  maintain 
a  healthful  tone  of  piety  and  Christian  activity  in  the  body. 
But  they  do  not  constitute  a  coordinate  branch  for  the  ad- 
ministration of  its  government,  and  in  the  exercise  of  their 
functions  must  act  only  in  conjunction  with  the  pastor,  not 
independent  of  him  ;  possibly,  except  in  very  rare  and  urgent 
cases.  Hence,  while  it  is  desirable  for  the  pastor  to  have 
meetings  with  his  deacons  often  or  statedly  for  consultation 
and  advice,  it  is  not  proper  for  them  to  hold  meetings  as  a 
"  board  of  deacons,"  independent  of  and  without  the  advice 
of  the  pastor,  as  sometimes  is  done. 

Note  9. — In  the  absence  of  a  pastor  it  becomes  the  duty 
of  the  deacons  to  conduct  the  devotional  meetings,  provide 
for  the  supply  of  the  pulpit  and  administer  the  affairs  of  the 
body  generally.  In  case  there  be  no  pastor  it  would  be  legiti- 
mate for  them  to  bring  before  the  Church,  as  by  them  di- 
rected, such  persons  as  were  deemed  suitable  candidates  for 
the  pastorate.  But  this  is  often,  perhaps  usually,  performed 
by  a  "  pulpit  committee  "  appointed  for  that  purpose. 

Note  10. — The  deacons'  wives  {gunatkos),  mentioned  in 
I  Tim.  3:  2,  were  probably  not  the  wives  of  deacons,  as  has 
usually  been  inferred,  but  deaconesses  or  female  assistants, 
appointed  by  the  churches  to  minister  to  the  sick  and  per- 
form other  services  to  those  of  their  own  sex,  which  could 


Il6  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

with  more  propriety  be  done  by  them  than  by  the  deacons  or 
other  male  members.  A  few  churches  retain  the  practice; 
and  since  female  members  in  all  the  churches  are  the  more 
numerous,  and  as  a  rule,  the  more  efficient  in  charitable  min- 
istrations, it  is  difficult  to  see  why  such  a  class  of  helpers, 
more  or  less  formally  designated  for  Christian  work,  should 
not  be  continued  in  our  churches. 

III.      OTHER   OFFICERS. 

The  above-named  officers  constitute  a  twofold 
ministry  for  the  churches,  and  all  that  are  provided 
for  by  the  New  Testament  economy,  and  all  that 
are  necessary  to  the  best  organization  and  highest 
efficiency  of  these  bodies,  since  all  the  functions 
essential  to  a  working  Church  may  be  efficiently 
discharged  by  these  alone.  Yet  it  is  usual  to  sup- 
plement these  by  several  called  "  Church  officers," 
merely  as  a  matter  of  convenience  or  of  expediency. 

Thus  a  clerk  is  appointed  to  take  minutes  and 
preserve  records  of  its  business  proceedings,  with  all 
other  papers  belonging  to  the  body.  A  treasurer 
is  chosen  to  hold,  disburse,  and  account  for  moneys 
for  Church  purposes.  In  most  of  the  States,  if  not 
all,  trustees  are  elected,  as  required  by  law,  accord- 
ing to  specified  procedure,  in  order  legally  to  hold 
property  and  rightly  to  administer  its  financial 
affairs.  But  the  dutiesof  these  various  offices  could 
well  be  performed  by  the  deacons  and  constitute  a 
part  of  their  appropriate  work.  Yet  it  may  be  right 
and  wise  to  distribute  the  labors  of  the  Church 
among  its  members,  all  the  more  so  if  those  better 
fitted  for  these  peculiar  services  can  be  found.     Es- 


CHURCH   OFFICERS.  II7 

pecially  should  the  requirements  of  civil  law  be 
conceded,  as  in  the  case  of  trustees,  in  order  to  en- 
joy the  legal  rights  of  corporate  bodies  as  property 
holders. 

Note  i. — The  laws  for  the  incorporation  of  religious  so- 
cieties differ  in  the  different  States.  In  some  the  Church  itself 
can  become  an  incorporate  body,  and  thus  control  and  ad- 
minister its  temporal  affairs  as  it  does  the  spiritual,  without 
interference  by  any  persons  not  Church  members.  This  is 
right,  and,  according  to  the  independent  theory  of  Baptist 
Church  government,  they  ought  everywhere  to  be  able  to 
do  this.  In  other  States  the  corporate  body  is  a  society  com- 
posed of  all  attendants  who  are  regular  contributors,  whether 
members  of  the  Church  or  not.  This  admits  persons  not 
Christians  to  participation  in  the  management  of  Church 
affairs.  Though  usually  no  harm  arises,  yet  harm  is  always 
liable  to  arise  and  the  theory  is  wrong.  Still,  the  churches 
should  conform  to  the  legal  requisitions  of  the  States  v/here 
they  are  located. 

Note  2. — Trustees  are  really  a  standing  committee,  ap- 
pointed for  a  specific  purpose.  And  since  the  Church  is  the 
responsible  and  authoritative  body,  even  though  there  be  a 
society,  the  trustees  should  hold  themselves  bound  by  every 
consideration  of  morality  and  honor  to  carry  out  the  wishes 
of  the  Church  and  to  act  under  their  instructions,  whatever 
technical  rights  civil  laws  and  the  decisions  of  courts  may 
give  them  in  certain  emergencies. 

Note  3. — The  trustees  have  a  treasurer  through  whose 
hands  pass  the  funds  for  current  expenses,  including  pastor's 
salary  and  other  items,  provided  for  by  pew  rents,  subscrip- 
tion, and  gifts  for  these  uses.  It  is  customary  also  to  have  a 
Church  treasurer,  usually  one  of  the  deacons,  who  receives 
and  disburses,  as  directed,  funds  for  benevolent  purposes, 
moneys  for  the  needy,  and  other  uses  not  included  in  current 
expenses,  or  for  care  of  the  property. 


ri8  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Note  4.— It  is  supposed  that  the  Church  clerk  will  do 
more  than  keep  in  record  the  bare  items  which  may  be  trans- 
acted at  business  meetings.  His  journal  should  show  a  con- 
densed history  of  the  Church's  current  life,  including  all 
items  of  note,  and  whatever  transpires  in  its  affairs  of  interest 
to  be  mentioned  and  preserved. 

Note  5. — The  various  offices  and  responsible  services  in 
the  Church  should  be  as  widely  distributed  as  possible  among 
the  members,  so  that  the  same  persons  need  not  fill  several 
offices  at  the  same  time.  A  few  individuals  should  not  be 
overburdened  with  service,  nor  should  any  one  be  tempted, 
by  too  much  office,  to  dictatorial  authority  and  an  assumptive 
personal  control  of  affairs.  And  yet  incompetent  and  unfit 
persons  should  not  be  appointed  to  important  and  responsi- 
ble positions,  even  though  two  offices  might  be  imposed  on 
the  same  individual. 

Note  6. — It  is  undoubtedly  true  that  the  different  official 
positions  require  somewhat  diverse  personal  qualifications 
for  their  incumbents.  Trustees,  as  having  to  transact  busi- 
ness matters,  should  be  sound,  careful,  and  accurate  business 
men.  Deacons,  as  being  more  concerned  in  spiritual  affairs, 
should  in  a  marked  degree  be  spiritually  minded  and  devout. 
A  Church  clerk  should  be  a  good  penman,  prompt,  careful, 
and  accurate  in  detail.  An  appropriate  fitness  should  be 
sought  in  all  these  affairs. 


CHAPTER  V. 

CHRISTIAN  ORDINANCES. 

Christian  ordinances  are  defined  to  be  **  institu- 
tions of  divine  authority  relating  to  the  worship  of 
God,  under  the  Christian  Dispensation."  In  this 
general  sense  there  are  various  ordinances  ;  since 
preaching  and  hearing  the  word,  prayer,  singing, 
fasting,  and  thanksgiving  may  all  be  considered  as 
institutions  of  divine  authority. 

But  in  a  narrower  and  a  more  distinctive  sense  it 
has  been  common  to  call  Baptism  and  the  Lord's 
Supper  by  this  name,  and  to  say  they  are  the  only 
Christian  ordinances  committed  to  the  churches,  and 
are  for  perpetual  observance.  These  rites  are  also 
by  some  called  sacraments,"^  the  number  of  which 
the  Catholic  Church  has  increased  to  seven,  includ- 
ing, with  Baptism  and  the  Eucharist,  Confirmation, 
Penance,  Extreme  unction,  Matrimony,  and  Orders. 
But  in  the  sense  in  which  the  Roman  and  Greek 
Churches  explain  the  meaning  of  sacrament,  to  which 
meaning  other  ritualistic  churches  do  strongly  in- 
cline, Baptism  and  the  Supper  are  not  sacraments 
at  all.  Sacraments,  by  them,  are  interpreted  to 
mean  not  simply  outward  signs  of  inward  grace  and 

*  From  the  Latin  "  Sacramentum,"  a  soldier's  oath  of  fealty 
and  consecration  to  the  military  service  in  which  he  enlists.  ; 

X19 


120  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

spiritual  operations,  but  outward  rites  which  work 
grace  and  produce  spiritual  operations.  This  view 
of  sacramental  efficacy  Protestant  confessions  reject, 
and  against  it  Baptists  do  strongly  protest. 

These  two,  therefore.  Baptism  and  the  Supper, 
are  the  two  sacred  rites,  and  the  only  ones,  enjoined 
by  Christ  for  perpetual  observance  in  His  churches. 
They  are  not  only  visible  signs  which  appeal  to  the 
senses,  but  they  are  teaching  institutions  which  ap- 
peal to  the  understanding  and  the  heart.  They  are 
the  two  symbols  of  the  new  covenant ;  the  two 
visible  pillars  of  the  spiritual  temple ;  the  two 
monuments  of  the  new  dispensation.  Christ  has  ap- 
pointed no  others.  They  are  positive  institutions, 
as  distinguished  from  those  of  a  purely  moral 
character,  their  claim  to  honor  and  obedience  aris- 
ing exclusively  from  the  fact  that  Christ  has  ap- 
pointed and  made  them  obligatory.  Their  claim  to 
respect  and  observance  rests  not  on  their  peculiar 
fitness,  though  that  is  manifest,  but  on  the  simple 
fact  that  Christ  has  established  them  and  com- 
manded their  observance. 

These  ordinances,  so  simple  in  form,  so  expres- 
sive in  action,  and  so  intelligible  in  meaning,  have 
been  the  occasions  of  heated,  sometimes  of  bitter 
controversy  through  all  the  ages  of  Christian  his- 
tory. Their  forms  have  been  changed,  their  purpose 
perverted,  the  manner  of  their  administration  encum- 
bered by  numerous  and  puerile  ceremonials,  and 
their  entire  effect  and  efficacy  misinterpreted  and 
misstated.     Baptists  claim  to  hold  and  use  them  in 


CHRISTIAN    ORDINANCES.  I2i 

their  original  simplicity  and  purity.  But  a  fuller 
discussion  of  the  subject  must  be  reserved  to  an- 
other place. 

I.      BAPTISM. 

Baptism  is  sometimes  called  "the  initiatoiy  rite," 
because  persons  are  not  received  to  membership  in 
the  churches  until  they  are  baptized.  But  baptism 
of  itself  does  not  admit  to  the  fellowship  of  the 
churches  ;  it,  however,  stands  at  the  door,  and  ad- 
mission is  only  on  its  reception.  It  has  by  some 
been  called  "the  seal  of  the  new  covenant,"  as  cir- 
cumcision was  the  seal  of  the  old.  It  is,  however, 
a  witness  and  a  testimony  to  the  covenant,  since  it 
is  naturally  and  properly  the  first  Christian  act  of 
the  believer  after  an  exercise  of  saving  faith.  It 
certifies  therefore  to  the  acceptance  of  Christ,  and 
the  union  and  fellowship  of  the  renewed  soul  with 
its  Saviour.  It  becomes  a  badge  of  discipleship,  and 
is,  in  that  sense,  a  seal  of  the  covenant  of  grace. 

I.  Its  Institution. 

Christian  baptism  was  instituted  by  Christ,  when 
He  submitted  to  John's  baptism,  adopting  its  form, 
with  some  change  of  meaning.  John's  baptism  was 
unto  repentance  and  faith  in  Him  who  was  to  come. 
Jesus  baptized  (or  His  disciples  did)  into  Himself, 
as  the  Messiah  who  had  come,  and  as  the  sign  that 
His  kingdom  had  already  been  established  in  the 
hearts  of  those  who  received  it. 

This  baptism  did  not  come  in  the  place  ojcircum- 


122  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

cision  or  any  other  sign  or  seal  of  the  old  covenant, 
but  was  ordained  for  the  new.  Thus,  **  John  did 
baptize  in  the  wilderness,  and  preached  the  baptism 
of  repentance  for  the  remission  of  sins." — Mark  i  :  4. 
**John  answered,  saying  unto  them  all,  I  indeed 
baptize  you  with  water,  but  one  mightier  than  I 
Cometh,  the  latchet  of  whose  shoes  I  am  not  worthy 
to  unloose  ;  He  shall  baptize  you  with  the  Holy 
Ghost  and  with  fire." — Luke  i  :  16.  "  Then  cometh 
Jesus  from  Galilee  to  Jordan,  unto  John,  to  be  bap- 
tized of  him.  And  Jesus,  when  He  was  baptized, 
went  up  straightway  out  of  the  water  ;  and  lo,  the 
heavens  were  opened  unto  Him,  and  He  saw  the 
spirit  of  God  descending  like  a  dove  and  lighting 
upon  Him  :  and,  lo,  a  voice  from  heaven  saying, 
This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased." 
— Matt.  3  :  13,  16,  17.  "And  He  said  to  His  dis- 
ciples, Go  ye  therefore  and  teach  all  nations,  bap- 
tizing them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  teaching  them  to  ob- 
serve all  things,  whatsoever  I  have  commanded 
you  :  and,  lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the 
end  of  the  world." — Matt.  28  :   19,  20. 

The  circumstances  in  which  this  characteristic 
Christian  rite  was  inaugurated,  as  well  as  the  per- 
sonal glory  of  Him  who  appointed,  and  who  com- 
manded it  as  a  badge  of  discipleship  for  all  who 
confess  His  name,  make  it  impressive  and  august  in 
its  simple  form,  and  sacred  in  its  influence  on  both 
those  who  receive  and  those  who  witness  it. 


CHRISTIAN    ORDINANCES.  1 23 

2.  Its  Administration, 

Christian  baptism  is  defined  to  be  the  immersion 
of  a  person  in  water,  on  a  profession  of  his  faith  in 
Christ,  in,  or  into,  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Spirit.  Baptism,  therefore,  is  an  immersion 
or  dipping  in  water,  with  this  meaning,  and  for  this 
sacred  purpose ;  and  without  this  dipping  there  is 
no  Scriptural  baptism.  The  immersion  is  essential 
to  the  rite,  and  pouring  or  sprinkling  water  upon  a 
person  is  not,  and  cannot  be,  baptism,  as  will  here- 
after be  shown. 

And  this  sign  of  the  Christian  dispensation  is  dis- 
tinguished from  all  the  ablutions,  washings,  and 
sprinklings  of  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  for  none  of 
which  was  it  a  substitute.  *'  And  were  baptized  of 
Him  in  Jordan,  confessing  their  sins." — Matt.  3:6. 
'*  And  they  went  down  both  into  the  water,  both 
Philip  and  the  eunuch,  and  he  baptized  him." — 
Acts  8  :  38.  "  Therefore  we  are  buried  with  Him  by 
baptism  into  death." — Rom.  6:4.  "Buried  with 
Him  in  baptism." — Col.  2  :  12.  This  impressive  form 
and  manner  of  administration  was  practised  by 
Christ  and  His  Apostles,  and  continued  unchanged 
in  the  churches  for  generations ;  but  finally,  at  the 
dictate  of  prelates,  or  for  the  convenience  of  priests, 
it  underwent  changes  which  destroyed  its  beauty 
and  robbed  it  of  its  significancy,  and  a  human  device 
was  substituted  for  a  divine  ordinance. 

3.  Its  Subjects, 

Baptism  is  to  be  administered  to  those,  and  to 


124  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

those  only,  who  have  exercised  and  professed  a 
saving  faith  in  Christ ;  that  is,  to  believers.  This 
saving  faith  supposes  an  exercise  of  godly  repent- 
ance for  sin,  and  a  turning  to  the  Lord  with  full 
purpose  of  heart. 

Pedobaptists  say  baptism  is  to  be  given  to  believers 
and  their  children.  But  that  is  a  fiction  of  human 
ingenuity.  The  New  Testament  knows  nothing  of 
the  baptism  of  unconscious  infants,  nor  of  unbeliev- 
ing persons,  either  young  or  old.  Neither  does  it 
teach  or  admit  the  inference  that  children  can  be 
partakers  of  the  benefits  of  grace  simply  because  of 
the  faith  of  their  parents.  Each  one  must  believe 
for  himself  in  order  to  be  saved.  "  He  that  believeth 
and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved  ;  but  he  that  believeth 
not  shall  be  condemned." — Mark  i6 :  i6.  But  "when 
they  believed  they  were  baptized,  both  men  and 
women." — Acts  8  :  13.  *'  Then  they  that  gladly  re- 
ceived His  Word  were  baptized." —Acts  2  :4i.  "  If 
thou  believest  with  all  thy  heart,  thou  mayest." — 
Acts  8  :  36.    None  but  believers  were  baptized. 

If  baptism  be  "an  outward  sign  of  an  inward 
grace,"  showing  forth  the  washing  of  regeneration 
and  the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  then  it  can 
have  no  significancy  to  those  who  have  not  received 
the  inward  cleansing  of  the  Spirit. 

4.  Its  Obligation. 

All  men  are  under  obligation  to  repent  of  sin,  and 
believe  on  Christ  as  the  only  means  of  salvatiom 
And  all  believers  in  Christ  are  bound  by  the  most 


CHRISTIAN    ORDINANCES.  12$ 

sacred  considerations  to  obey  their  Lord's  command, 
and  confess  Him  before  men  in  baptism.  No  one 
who  trusts  Him  for  salvation  can  h'ghtly  esteem  His 
authority,  or  willingly  disregard  His  command,  nor 
yet  neglect  to  profess  a  faith  which  to  him  is  precious, 
by  submitting  to  this  ordinance. 

It  is  not  a  question  as  to  whether  he  can  be  saved 
without  baptism ;  but  whether  he  can  be  a  true  dis- 
ciple, and  refuse  or  neglect  thus  to  obey  and  confess 
his  Saviour.  *'  Repent  and  be  baptized,  every  one  of 
you,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ." — Acts  2 :  38. 
•'Arise  and  be  baptized,  and  wash  away  thy  sins." 
— Acts  22 :  16.  Baptism  may  not  be  essential  to 
salvation,  but  it  is  essential  to  obedience.  The  wish 
to  live  unrecognized  as  a  Christian,  unwilling  to 
share  the  responsibilities,  or  discharge  the  duties  of 
discipleship,  and  yet  hoping  for  all  its  blessings  and 
rewards,  is  both  selfish  and  mercenary,  and  indi- 
cates that  the  new  birth  has  not  yet  transpired. 

5.  Its  Efficacy. 

It  may  well  be  asked.  What  is  the  efficacy  of  bap- 
tism }  What  does  it  do  for  him  who  receives  it  .-* 
Is  it  an  efficacious  means  of  grace  ?  In  what  respect 
is  the  disciple  different,  after  his  baptism,  from  what 
he  was  before  }  In  reply  it  may  be  most  positively 
stated  that  baptism  does  not  produce  faith  and  a 
new  heart.  It  possesses  no  magical  power  to  con- 
vert the  soul.  Baptismal  regeneration,  as  taught 
by  some,  is  altogether  a  false  and  pernicious  doc- 
trine.    Regeneration  is  by  the  Holy  Spirit  alone, 


126  tHE  NEW  DIRECTORV* 

and  should  precede  baptism.  Out  of  this  mistaken 
view  of  its  efficacy  grew  the  unscriptural  dogma  of 
infant  baptism,  in  the  early  ages,  since  it  was  feared 
that  dying  infants  could  not  be  saved  without  it. 

But  as  an  act  of  obedience  to  Christ,  the  reception 
of  this  ordinance  usually  brings  peculiar  light,  joy, 
and  comfort  to  the  soul.  This  is  especially  true  as 
a  witness  usually  borne  soon  after  conversion,  when 
every  act  of  obedience  is  a  service  of  love,  and  the 
soul's  sensibilities  are  alive  and  tender.  Moreover, 
the  disciple  feels  that  in  baptism  he  has  effectually 
and  openly  come  out  from  the  world,  and  committed 
himself  to  Christ  and  His  service.  This  gives  to 
the  spirit  a  moral  triumph,  and  fills  it  with  bound- 
less peace.  Baptism,  therefore,  is  an  act  of  obedi- 
ence, and  as  such  brings  the  candidate  into  a  more 
intimate  and  exclusive  fellowship  with  his  Lord ; 
but  it  possesses  no  power  in  itself  to  remit  sin,  to 
change  the  heart,  or  sanctify  the  spirit. 

6.  It  is  Commemorative. 

Baptism  has  its  retrospect.  It  points  back  to 
Christ  in  His  humiliation,  death,  burial  and  resurrec- 
tion ;  and  keeps  constantly  in  the  minds  of  both 
candidates  and  spectators  Him  "  who  died  for  our 
sins  and  rose  again  for  our  justification."  It  testifies 
that  He  suffered,  died,  was  buried,  and  rose  from 
the  dead,  to  perfect  the  work  of  redemption. 

What  Christ  did  and  suffered  gives  to  this  ordi- 
nance its  significance  and  its  force.  "  So  many  of 
us  as  were  baptized  into  Christ  were  baptized  into 


CHRISTIAN    ORDINANCES.  I27 

His  death." — Rom.  6:S.  *'  Buried  with  Him  in  bap- 
tism, wherein  also  ye  are  risen  with  Him." — Col.  11 : 
12.  The  past  is  brought  to  view.  There  is  ''one 
Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism  " — Eph.  4 :  5 — thus  for- 
ever connecting  the  disciple  in  this  act  with  his 
Lord.  **We  are  buried  with  Him  by  baptism,  into 
death." — Rom.  6:4.  If  the  past  could  be  forgotten, 
this  sacred  ordinance  would  lose  its  moral  power 

7.  //  is  Predictive. 

That  is,  in  the  sense  of  looking  forward  and  antici- 
pating things  to  come,  it  foreshadows.  Most  im- 
pressively does  it  prefigure  the  resurrection  of  the 
body  from  the  grave,  when  one  rises  from  the  bap- 
tismal waters  **  like  as  Christ  was  raised  up  from  the 
dead  by  the  glory  of  the  Father." — Rom.  6:4.  **  If 
the  dead  rise  not  at  all,  why  are  they  then  baptized 
for  the  dead } " — i  Cor.  1 5  :  29.  Though  this  passage 
is  of  doubtful  interpretation,  yet  in  some  sense  it 
clearly  connects  baptism  with  the  resurrection  from 
the  dead  ;  thus  uniting  the  hopes  of  the  future 
with  the  memories  of  the  past,  binding  both  in  the 
realities  of  the  present  by  baptism. 

8.  //  is  Emblematic. 

Baptism  is  a  creed;  a  confession  of  faith.  The 
symbolism  of  that  sacred  rite  teaches  the  great  car- 
dinal doctrines  of  the  gospel.  It  represents  Christ's 
death  and  burial  for  our  sins,  and  His  resurrection 
from  the  dead  for  our  justification.  "But  I  have  a 
baptism  to  be  baptized  with;    and  how  am  I  strait- 


128  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

ened  till  it  be  accomplished  ?  " — Luke  12  :  50.  It  rep- 
resents the  candidate's  death  to  sin,  and  his  rising 
to  a  new  spiritual  life  in  Christ,  and,  therefore,  his 
fellowship  with  his  Lord,  both  in  dying  and  living. 
"  For  as  many  as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ 
have  put  on  Christ." — Gal.  3  :  27. 

It  teaches  the  resurrection  of  the  saints,  of  which 
the  resurrection  of  Christ  is  the  prophecy  and  the 
pledge.  "  For  if  we  have  been  planted  together  in 
the  likeness  of  His  death,  we  shall  be  also  in  the 
likeness  of  his  resurrection." — Rom.  6  :  5.  The  life 
everlasting  follows  in  sacred  proximity  the  death 
to  sin;  for  "if  we  be  dead  with  Christ,  we  believe 
that  we  shall  also  live  with  Him." — Rom.  6  :  S.  It 
represents  in  an  outward  sign  the  inward  work  of 
renewal  and  cleansing.  "  According  to  His  mercy, 
He  saved  us  by  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  the 
renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost." — Titus  3  :  5.  This 
inward  cleansing  by  the  precious  blood  of  Christ, 
through  the  operation  of  the  Spirit,  is  symbolized  in 
the  submersion  and  ablution  of  baptism.  *'  The  like 
figure  whereunto  even  baptism  doth  now  save  us 
(not  the  putting  away  of  the  filth  of  the  flesh,  but 
the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  toward  God),  by 
the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ." — I  Peter  3:21. 

It  also  shows  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  the  fel- 
lowship of  the  true  people  of  God,  who,  in  the  one 
baptism,  profess  their  trust  in  the  one  Lord,  and 
their  acceptance  of  the  one  faith.  '*  For  by  one 
spirit  we  are  all  baptized  into  one  body." — I  Cor.  12  ; 
13.     Is  not  this  impressive  ordinance,  therefore,  a 


CHRISTIAN    ORDINANCES.  1 29 

proclamation  of  the  great  cardinal  doctrines  of  the 
gospel ? 

Note  i. — The  beauty,  impressiveness,  and  general  effect  of 
the  sacred  rite  of  baptism  are  not  a  little  affected  by  the  man- 
ner of  its  administration.  It  should  be  so  carefully  arranged, 
and  performed  with  such  propriety  that  no  mistakes  could 
occur,  on  the  part  either  of  the  candidate  or  the  adminis- 
trator, to  excite  any  other  emotions,  on  the  part  of  spectat- 
ors, than  those  of  reverence  and  devotion.  Great  haste  and 
all  excitement  should  be  avoided,  and  all  infelicities  care- 
fully guarded  against.  If  the  administrator  be  calm,  self- 
possessed,  acting  under  a  sense  of  the  importance  and  solem- 
nity of  the  occasion,  the  candidate  will  usually  be  calm  and 
free  from  agitation.  The  moral  force  of  the  ordinance, 
somewhat  to  the  candidate,  and  largely  to  observers,  depends 
on  the  dignity  and  propriety  of  its  administration. 

Note  2. — Baptism  is  usually  administered  by  ordained 
ministers.  And  this  is  proper,  regular,  and  orderly.  But  should 
occasion  require,  and  the  Church  so  direct,  it  would  be 
equally  valid  if  administered  by  a  deacon  or  any  private 
member  selected  for  that  service.  The  validity  depends 
on  the  character  and  profession  of  the  candidate,  and  not 
on  that  of  the  administrator.  As  to  the  qualifications  of  ad- 
ministrators the  New  Testament  is  silent,  except  that  they 
were  disciples.  Nor  need  the  churches  deprive  themselves 
of  the  ordinances  because  an  ordained  minister  is  not  obtain- 
able, as  they,  unwisely,  often  do. 

Note  3. — The  question  has  often  arisen,  in  receiving  to 
membership  in  our  churches  persons  who  have  been  im- 
mersedhy  ministers  not  themselves  immersed,  Issuch  baptism 
valid  ?  or,  should  they  be  rebaptized  in  order  to  admission  ?  In 
the  South  and  Southwest  our  churches  quite  generally  insist, 
on  re  baptism  in  such  cases  ;  at  the  North,  East,  and  West  they 
do  not.  It  has  been  almost  universally  conceded  that  the 
validity  of  baptism  depends  on  the  character  of  the  candi- 
9 


130  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

date,  and  not  on  that  of  the  administrator.  If  the  candidate 
has  received  the  ordinance  properly  administered  in  good 
conscience,  in  obedience  to  Christ,  and  on  a  profession  of 
faith  in  Him,  giving  evidence  of  genuine  conversion  at  the 
time,  such  baptism  cannot  be  invalidated,  whoever  may  have 
performed  the  ceremony. 

Note  4. — Both  ordinances  are  usually  administered  on 
Sunday,  and  commonly  each  month,  particularly  the  Supper. 
But  both  the  time  when  and  the  place  where  they  shall  be 
observed,  are  in  the  discretion  of  the  Church,  as  circum- 
stances may  require. 

Note  5. — Baptism,  strictly  speaking,  is  not  to  h&  repeated. 
But  cases  may  occur  in  which  it  had  been  administered  in 
form  to  candidates,  who,  at  the  time,  as  subsequently  ap- 
peared, had  not  exercised  a  saving  faith  in  Christ,  and  had 
not  made  an  intelligent  confession  of  such  faith.  In  such 
cases  baptism  may  be  repeated,  when  the  candidate  becomes 
duly  qualified.  This  would  be  rebaptizing  in  form,  but  not 
in  fact,  since,  in  the  former  case,  a  lack  of  faith  made  the 
act  invalid.  Such  cases  seldom  occur,  and,  when  they  do, 
can  be  mutually  adjusted  by  the  candidate  and  the  Church. 

II.      THE   lord's  supper. 

The  Eucharist,  or  Lord's  Supper,  is  the  other 
ordinance  established  by  Christ,  and  ordained  to  be 
observed  in  His  churches  till  the  end  of  the  time.  It 
has  equal  simplicity  and  impressiveness  with  bap- 
tism, but  holds  a  very  different  relation  to  the  econ- 
omy of  grace,  and  the  order  of  the  Church;  and  as 
a  teaching  ordinance  represents  a  different  phase  of 
vital  doctrine.  This,  too,  perhaps  still  more  than 
baptism,  has  been  the  occasion  of  heated  and  often 
of  bitter  controversy  among  the  professed  followers 
of  Christ,  through  the  ages  of  Christian  history. 


CHRISTIAN    ORDINANCES.  131 

I.  Its  Institution. 

The  Supper  was  instituted  by  our  Lord  during,  or 
at  the  close  of,  the  last  paschal  supper  which  he  ob- 
served with  His  disciples,  on  the  evening  before  He 
suffered.  It  is  thus  described:  "  As  they  were  eat- 
ing, Jesus  took  bread  and  gave  thanks,  and  brake, 
and  gave  it  to  the  disciples,  and  said,  Take,  eat; 
this  is  my  body,  which  is  broken  for  you;  this  do 
in  remembrance  of  me.  And  He  took  the  cup,  and 
gave  thanks,  and  gave  it  to  them,  saying,  Drink  ye 
all  of  it;  for  this  is  my  blood  of  the  New  Covenant, 
which  is  shed  for  many  for  the  remission  of  sins. 
This  do  ye,  as  oft  as  ye  drink  it,  in  remembrance  of 
me.  For  as  oft  as  ye  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this 
cup,  ye  proclaim  the  Lord's  death  till  He  come." — 
Matt.  26:  26-28;  Mark  14:  22-26;  Luke  22  :  14- 
20;  I  Cor.  1 1  :  23-26. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  in  the  various  accounts  of 
the  institution  there  is  a  substantial  agreement,  with 
slight  verbal  differences.  But  each  of  the  added 
sentences  gives  additional  interest  and  impressive- 
ness  to  the  scene.  It  was  at  the  close  of,  or  immedi- 
ately following,  the  passover  supper,  which  was  the 
seal  of  the  Old  Dispensation,  now  passed  away,  and 
sanctified  by  the  sacrifice  of  the  paschal  lamb,  that 
Jesus  inaugurated  His  own  memorial,  which  should 
be  a  seal  of  the  New  Dispensation,  and  a  memorial 
of  the  sacrifice  of  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh 
away  the  sins  of  the  world.  The  sad,  tender,  and 
sacred  associations  of  the  time  and  the  place  have  all 


132  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

passed  into  history,  and  are  reproduced  in  the  hearts 
of  all  true  and  loving  disciples,  as  they  surround  the 
table  of  their  Lord. 

2.  Its  Administration, 

The  Supper  is  a  provision  of  bread  and  wine — the 
loafy  and  the  cup — as  symbols  of  Christ's  body  and 
blood,  partaken  of  by  the  members  of  the  Church 
assembled,  to  commemorate  His  sufferings  and  death 
for  them,  and  to  show  their  faith  and  participation 
in  the  merits  of  His  sacrifice.  The  loaf  is  to  be 
broken,  and  the  wine  to  be  poured. 

Usually  this  is  observed  either  at  the  close  of  a 
preaching  service,  or  as  a  special  service  on  Sunday 
afternoon,  when  more  time  and  more  prominence  is 
given  to  it,  though  fewer  usually  attend  at  that 
time.  Occasionally  it  is  observed  in  the  evening,  be- 
ing, as  some  think,  a  more  appropriate  time  for  a 
supper,  but  less  favorable  for  the  attendance  of  the 
members.  If  held  as  a  distinct  service,  it  is  preceded 
with  singing,  prayer,  reading  the  Scriptures,  and 
brief  remarks.  If  as  a  supplementary  service,  the 
introduction  would  be  much  abridged. 

The  pastor  breaks  the  bread,  and  fills  the  cups  in 
order,  preceding  each  with  a  brief  prayer  of  thanks- 
giving, as  did  the  Lord,  and  passes  the  plates  and 
cups  in  order  to  the  deacons,  who  distribute  to  the 
members.  It  is  customary  for  the  deacons  and  pas- 
tor to  partake  after  all  the  others  are  served. 

Some  ministers  seem  to  lose  sight  of  the  real  pur- 
pose of  the  service,  or  else  lack  the  spirit  of  the  oc- 


CHRISTIAN    ORDINANCES.  1 33 

casion,  and  talk  during  the  exercises.  After  very 
brief  remarks  to  introduce  the  ordinance,  and  the 
equally  brief  prayer  of  thanksgiving-,  complete 
silence  should  prevail;  a  silence  which  the  attend- 
ants, in  passing  the  elements,  should  be  careful  not 
to  break.  It  is  presumption  and  folly  for  the  pastor 
to  draw  the  thoughts  of  the  worshipers  to  himself, 
when  they  should  remember  only  Him  whose  sym- 
bolic body  is  broken,  and  whose  symbolic  blood  is 
shed.     "This  do,  in  remembrance  of  me." 

It  is  an  almost  universal  custom  among  our 
churches  to  take  a  collection  at  the  close;  "the 
offering  for  the  sick  and  needy,"  of  which  the  dea- 
cons are  the  custodians  and  almoners.  It  is  also  a 
well-nigh  unvarying  custom  to  close  with  singing, 
in  imitation  of  Jesus  and  the  Apostles;  "and  when 
they  had  sung  a  hymn,  they  went  out  into  the 
Mount  of  Olives." 

3.  Its  Obligation. 

It  is  a  sacred  privilege  for  every  disciple  to  re- 
member his  Lord  in  the  observance  of  the  Supper, 
and  it  is  his  solemn  duty  as  well.  Few  signs 
more  effectually  tell  of  a  spiritual  decline  in  the 
individual  soul  or  in  the  Church  than  a  neglect  of 
the  sacred  Communion.  It  is  the  duty  of  every 
believer  to  be  baptized,  and  the  duty  of  every  bap- 
tized believer  to  commemorate  the  dying  love  of 
his  Lord  at  the  Supper.  "Take,  eat;  drink  ye  all 
of  it."  "  Divide  it  among  yourselves."  "  Do  this  in 
remembrance  of  me."     Such    were    the    words    of 


134  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Jesus  Himself.     Let  no  disciple  who  loves  his  Lord 
lightly  esteem  or  neglect  this  sacred  rite. 

Sometimes  negligent  Christians  attempt  to  ex- 
cuse their  failures  by  saying  there  are  unworthy 
members  present,  or  that  some  member  has  done 
something  wrong.  That  is  no  excuse.  If  Judas 
himself  were  present,  it  should  keep  no  one  else 
away.  **  This  do  in  remembrance  of  me,''  not  in 
remembrance  of  some  one  else  deemed  unworthy 
of  the  place.  The  communion  is  not  with  each 
other,  save  incidentally,  but  each  one  with  his  Sav- 
iour, who  has  promised  to  be  present.  Few  Chris- 
tians ever  plead  such  excuses  until  their  own  hearts, 
and  perhaps  their  lives  likewise,  are  far  out  of  the 
way.  A  neglect  or  misuse  of  the  Supper  not  only 
reveals  but  produces  spiritual  derangement  and  de- 
cay. It  was  for  this  reason  the  Apostle  reproved 
the  Corinthians,  when  he  wrote,  *'  For  this  cause 
many  are  weak  and  sickly  among  you,  and  many 
sleep." — I  Cor.  1 1  :  30. 

4.  Its  Subjects. 

Who  ought,  and  who  have  a  lawful  right  to  come 
to  the  Lord's  Table  will  be  seen  by  a  careful  study 
of  the  Scripture  narratives.  From  these  it  is  mani- 
fest that  baptized  believers,  walking  orderly  in  the 
faith  of  the  Gospel,  and  in  the  fellowship  of  the 
Church,  constitute  the  proper  subjects  for  this  priv- 
ilege. And  no  others.  Some  have  insisted  on  its 
having  a  wider  scope;  some  even  going  so  far  as  to 
hold  that  no  limitations  or    restrictions   whatever 


CHRISTIAN    ORDINANCES.  135 

should  be  imposed  on  the  privilege.     This  question 
is  argued  at  length  in  another  place. 

Observe  that  our  Saviour  at  the  institution  "  sat 
down,  and  His  Apostles  with  Him." — Luke  22  :  14. 
Here  was  a  very  restricted,  and,  so  to  say,  close 
Communion.  Neither  His  own  mother,  nor  His 
brethren,  nor  the  many  relatives  and  friends  who 
had  followed  Him,  were  invited  to  be  present;  for 
what  reason  we  do  not  know,  but  they  were  not 
there.  Only  the  twelve  Apostles.  He  gave  the 
bread  and  the  cup  to  His  disciples,  and  said,  **  Take 
this,  and  divide  it  among  yourselves." — Matt.  26  : 
26;  Luke  22  :  17.  He  did  not  tell  them  to  distrib- 
ute it  to  others,  nor  invite  others  to  come  in,  and 
partake  of  it.  That  little  company  in  the  upper 
chamber  was  substantially  the  incipient  Church ;  and 
the  Supper  was  with  and  for  the  Church  alone. 

5.  It  is  Commemorative, 

It  was  designed  to  commemorate  the  death  of 
Christ  for  human  redemption,  and  to  be  a  perpetual 
memorial  in  His  churches  and  to  His  people  of  His 
sacrifice  for  men.  The  loaf  and  the  cup  represent 
"  His  broken  body,  and  His  shed  blood,"  as  sealing 
the  covenant  of  grace.  "This  do  in  remembrance 
of  me  : "  **  This  do,  as  oft  as  ye  drink  it,  in  remem- 
brance of  me." — I  Cor.  11  :  24,  25. 

The  paschal  feast,  and  the  slain  lamb,  commem- 
orated the  death  of  Egypt's  first-born,  and  the  de- 
liverance of  Israel  from  death  and  bondage.  The 
Eucharist  is   sometimes  called  the   Christian  Pass- 


136  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

over,  and  is  the  fulfillment  of  that  ancient  and  ex- 
pressive type.  It  is  when  partaking  of  this  sacred 
feast,  the  soul  looks  back  to  see  the  anguish  of  Him, 
who  suffered  as  a  lamb  without  spot  and  without 
blemish. 

6.  //  is  Predictive, 

The  Supper  not  only  points  the  Christian  back  to 
the  sufferings  of  the  Cross,  but  onward  to  the  tri- 
umph and  glory  of  Christ's  second  coming.  It  is  a 
kind  of  mediator,  a  middle  link,  binding  the  shad- 
owy past,  the  radiant  future,  and  the  joyous  present 
in  one.  He  who  was  dead  is  alive  again;  the  suf- 
ferings of  death  could  not  hold  Him.  The  past  lays 
the  foundation  of  the  saint's  hope,  while  the  future 
holds  the  bright  fruition.  **  But  I  say  unto  you,  I 
will  not  drink  henceforth  of  this  fruit  of  the  vine, 
until  that  day  when  I  drink  it  new  with  you  in  my 
Father's  Kingdom." — Matt.  26:  29.  **  For  as  oft  as 
ye  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup,  ye  proclaim 
the  Lord's  death  till  He  comeT — i  Cor.  1 1 :  26. 

7.  //  is  Emblematic. 

While  it  perpetuates  the  significance  of  the  work  of 
redemption  by  the  death  of  Christ,  the  Supper  is  a 
teacher  of  vital  Gospel  doctrine.  This,  too,  is  a  creed, 
a  confession.  It  proclaims  the  love  of  Christ  to  the  be- 
liever as  a  seal  of  the  Covenant  of  grace,  and  a  token 
of  His  faithfulness  to  them  that  trust  Him.  "  This  is 
the  new  Covenant  in  my  blood." — Luke  22  :  20.  It  is 
not  a  communion  of  the  partakers,  one  with  the 


CHRISTIAN    ORDINANCES.  1 37 

other,  but  of  each  one  with  Him  whom  it  commem- 
orates. It  expressly  declares  their  union  with  Him. 
**The  cup  of  blessing  which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the 
communion  of  the  blood  of  Christ  ?  The  bread 
which  we  break,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the  body 
of  Christ.!*" — I  Cor.  lo:  i6.  As  intimate  as  is  the 
relation  between  the  loaf  and  the  cup  which  we  take 
to  nourish  our  physical  nature,  so  intimate  is  the 
fellowship  of  the  partaker  in  the  sacred  rite  with 
his  remembered  Lord.  It  expresses,  inferentially 
indeed,  a  fellowship  of  all  who  partake  with  each 
other,  though  this  is  not  the  special  object  of  the 
ordinance. 

As  they  sit  together  in  one  place,  with  the  same 
hopes,  with  common  joys  and  sorrows,  and  a  com- 
mon interest  in  the  same  Lord,  they,  though  many, 
constitute  the  one  body,  and  Christ  the  one  head. 
"  For  we,  being  many,  are  one  bread,  and  one  body; 
for  we  are  all  partakers  of  that  one  bread." — I  Cor. 
lo :  17.  The  Supper  declares  this  vital  doctrine: 
That  the  Christian's  spiritual  life  and  nourishment 
are  derived  from  Christ.  As  natural  bread  and  wine 
feed  the  body,  so  Christ,  the  bread  of  life,  feeds  the 
renewed  soul.  **  For  ye  are  dead,  and  your  life  is 
hid  with  Christ  in  God." — Col.  3:3.  *'  For  even 
Christ,  our  passover,  is  sacrificed  for  us.  Therefore 
let  us  keep  the  feast ;  not  with  old  leaven,  .  .  .  but 
with  the  unleavened  bread  of  sincerity  and  truth." —  i 
Cor.  5  :  7,  8. 

For,  though  the  reception  of  the  elements  cannot 
convey  grace  to  the  soul,  yet  they  teach  the  doc- 


138  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

trine  of  effectual  grace  conveyed  from  Christ  as  the 
only  and  abounding  fountain  of  grace.  ''  I  am  the 
living  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven;  if  any 
man  eat  of  this  bread  he  shall  live  forever.  And 
the  bread  that  I  give  is  my  flesh,  which  I  will  give 
for  the  life  of  the  world." — John  6:51. 

Note  i  . — As  in  the  case  of  baptism,  the  Supper  is  commonly 
and  properly  administered  by  the  pastor,  or  some  other  or- 
dained and  accredited  minister.  But  should  occasion  require, 
and  the  Church  so  direct,  it  would  be  just  as  valid  if  served 
by  a  private  member.  A  deacon,  or  any  devout  member, 
could,  with  propriety,  give  thanks  and  distribute  the  ele- 
ments. The  churches  should  not  deprive  themselves  of  these 
means  of  grace,  nor  fail  to  remember  their  loving  Lord  for 
want  of  a  clergyman.  Baptists  are  not  such  sacramentarians 
as  to  suppose  the  ordinances  invalid  unless  ministered  and 
made  holy  by  priestly  hands. 

Note  2. — The  deacons  usually  and  properly  distribute  the 
elements.  But  any  member  can  be  called  on  for  that  ser- 
vice, should  occasion  require,  and  the  service  would  be  just 
as  lawful,  valid  and  proper. 

Note  3. — The  doctrine  taught  by  the  Roman  Church,  and 
some  other  communions  of  the  '' real  presence' — that  is, 
that,  after  consecration  by  the  priest,  the  bread  and  wine  do 
actually  become  the  very  body  and  blood  of  Christ — is  to  be 
held  as  an  absolute  falsehood,  a  most  pernicious  error,  and  a 
monstrous  absurdity. 

Note  4. —When  Jesus  therefore  said,  "this  is  my  body," 
and  "this  is  my  blood,"  He  did  not  mean,  and  could  not  have 
intended,  it  in  a  literal  sense,  since  His  body  and  His  blood 
at  that  moment  were  not  in  the  loaf  and  cup,  but  in  His  cor- 
poreal person.  He  must,  therefore,  have  meant  what  Prot- 
estant Christendom  holds,  generally,  that  He  did  mean, 
aamely,  that  these  elements  represented  His  body  and  blood. 


CHRISTIAN    ORDINANCES.  1 39 

There  is,  therefore,  no  transubstantiation,  or  change  of  ele- 
ments, and  the  bread  and  wine,  when  received  by  the  com- 
municant, are  Hterally  the  same  as  before  their  use  and  dis- 
tribution, and  nothing  different. 

Note  5. — Nor  is  there  any  such  thing  as  a  consecration  of 
elements  in  the  Supper.  Jesus  did  not  bless  the  bread  and 
the  cup  at  the  institution.*  He  blessed  God,  nqt  the  bread ;  that 
is.  He  gave  thanks,  as  in  one  record  it  is  rightly  rendered. — 
Luke  22  :  19.  The  minister's  part,  therefore,  is  to  thank  God 
for  the  elements,  and  for  the  glorious  realities  they  repre- 
sent and  ask  His  blessing  on  them  as  applied  to  a  sacred  use. 

Note  6. — The  ' '  hand  of  fellowship  "  is  usually  given  to  new 
members  at  this  service,  just  before  the  distribution  of  the 
elements.  This  act  is  simply  a  fraternal  welcome,  and  has 
no  other  significancy;  it  does  not  make  them  members,  but 
only  recognizes  their  membership,  already  effected  by  vote  of 
the  Church. 

Note  7. — It  has  been  the  prevailing  custom  for  the  pastor, 
before  the  ordinance,  to  give  an  invitation  for  "  members  of 
sister  churches,  "or  "  members  of  churches  of  the  same  faith 
and  order,"  or  "  members  of  other  Baptist  churches,"  who 
might  be  present,  to  remain  and  partake  with  them.  But 
some  pastors  give  no  invitation  at  all.  It  is  not,  however, 
the  right  of  the  pastor  to  give  or  to  withhold  any  invitation, 
except  as  the  Church  directs.  It  is  the  prerogative  of  the 
body  to  decide  that  question.  The  pastor  should  assume  no 
responsibility  in  the  matter,  but  let  it  all  rest  with  the  Church. 
He  is  their  servant,  not  their  master,  in  these  matters. 

Note  8. — Strictly  speaking,  however,  the  privileges  of  a 
Church  are  coextensive  with  the  authority  of  the  Church.  A 
right  to  the  communion,  therefore,  is  limited  to  those  over 
whom  the  Church  exercises  the  right  of  discipline;  that  is, 

*  The  pronoun  "  it"  is  not  in  the  Greek  text,  and  is  improp- 
erly supplied  in  two  of  the  records  by  the  translators.  This,  how« 
ever,  is  corrected  in  the  New  Version. 


140  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

its  own  members.  Consequently,  if  the  members  of  sister 
churches  are  invited  to  partake,  it  is  an  act  of  courtesy  prof- 
fered, and  not  a  right  allowed.  This  rule  would  of  itself 
forbid  a  general,  open,  or  free  communion,  since  that  would 
bring  in  persons  whose  characters  the  Church  could  not 
know,  and  whom,  if  they  were  unworthy,  the  Church  could 
not  discipline  or  exclude. 

Note  9. — It  often  happens  that  members  of  Pedobaptist 
churches,  or  other  persons  not  entitled  to  the  privilege,  being 
present  at  communion  service,  remain  and  receive  the  ele- 
ments. No  harm  is  done  by  this,  and  neither  the  pastor,  nor 
any  one  else,  need  be  disturbed  by  it.  They  were  not  invited 
— and  could  not  lawfully  have  been — and  probably  knew  it 
to  be  contrary  to  the  custom  of  the  churches.  It  would  not 
be  wise  to  ask  them  to  retire,  and  thus  disturb  the  service. 
But  if  the  same  individuals  should  often  repeat  the  act,  the 
pastor,  or  some  judicious  member,  should  take  occasion  pri- 
vately, in  a  kindly  way,  to  talk  with  and  dissuade  them  from 
such  a  course,  unless,  indeed,  they  were  prepared  to  unite 
with  the  Church  in  full  communion. 

Note  10. — Since  the  Supper  is  distinctively  a  Church  ordi- 
nance, it  is  to  be  observed  by  churches  only,  and  not  by 
individuals,  even  though  Church  members;  neither  in  private 
places,  nor  in  sick-rooms,  nor  on  social  occasions,  and  not 
by  companies  of  disciples  other  than  churches,  though  com- 
posed of  Church  members.  But  a  church  may  by  appoint- 
ment, and  in  its  official  capacity,  meet  in  a  private  house,  a 
sick-room,  or  wherever  it  may  elect,  and  there  observe  the 
ordinance. 

Note  ii. — There  is  no  Scriptural  rule  as  to  the  frequency 
with  which,  nor  the  time  or  place  at  which,  it  shall  be  ob- 
served. The  primitive  Christians  evidently  kept  this  feast 
daily.  "  And  they,  continuing  daily  with  one  accord  in  the 
temple,  and  breaking  bread  from  house  to  house,  did  eat  their 
meat  with  gladness  and  singleness  of  heart." — Acts  2:46. 
Subsequently  it  came  to  be  a  weekly  service,  at  each  public 


CHRISTIAN    ORDINANCES.  I4I 

assembly.  By  some  it  is  still  so  observed.  Some  churches 
observe  it  quarterly,  some  bi-monthly;  but  with  our  people  it 
has  come  to  be  a  general  custom,  especially  in  cities,  towns 
and  villages,  to  have  the  Communion  monthly,  and  usually 
on  the  first  Sunday  in  the  month.  This  is  not  so  often  as  to 
impair  its  sanctity  by  frequency,  and  not  so  seldom  as  to 
allow  it  to  pass  out  of  mind  and  be  forgotten. 

Note  12. — A  neglect  of  the  Supper  by  Church  members  is 
a  grave  evil.  It  betokens  a  decline  of  spirituality,  and  pro- 
motes it.  And  it  is  usually  without  excuse.  If  there  be  but 
one  service  in  the  month  that  a  member  can  attend,  that  ser- 
vice should  be  the  Communion;  and  if  there  be  but  one  other, 
that  should  be  the  Covenant  Meeting.  Pastors  and  deacons 
will  do  well  to  watch  with  jealous  care  this  index  to  the 
churches'  vital  piety,  and  strive  to  inspire  the  absentees  with 
a  sense  of  its  importance,  and  their  own  duty  in  respect 
to  it.  To  disregard  it  is  an  indignity  to  Christ's  ordinance, 
a  breach  of  good  order,  and  a  violation  of  covenant  obliga- 
tions, which  the  Church  should  endeavor  promptly  to  cor- 
rect. Some  churches,  by  a  rule  of  discipline,  have  each  mem- 
ber visited,  who  is  absent  twice  in  succession,  to  learn  the 
cause  of  such  absence.  To  a  devout  Christian  it  is  a  sacred 
privilege,  which  he  would  not  willingly  forego. 

Note  13. — Pastors  often  blame  their  members  for  a 
neglect  of  the  Supper  more  than  they  instruct  them  as  to 
its  nature,  significancy,  and  claims.  The  people  should 
be  well  taught  as  to  the  meaning  of  the  ordinance,  and  its 
true  relation  to  their  faith  and  spiritual  life. 

Note  14. — The  objection  to  the  "individual  commun- 
ion cups,"  and  the  practice  of  holding  the  bread  till  all  are 
served  is,  that  it  tends  to  exalt  the  form  over  the  spirit  and 
make  the  service  ritual  rather  than  spiritual. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

CHURCH   GOVERNMENT. 

Is  there  any  particular  form  of  Church  govern- 
ment revealed  in  the  New  Testament?  And  if  so, 
what  is  it  ? 

These  questions  will  be  variously  answered  by 
Christian  scholars  and  Bible  students.  Some  hold 
that  no  specific  form  can  be  deduced  from  the  sacred 
records,  and  that  no  one  form  is  best  suited  for  all 
people  and  for  all  places  ;  and  that  it  was  purposely 
left  for  Christian  wisdom  and  prudence,  guided  by 
experience,  to  decide  that  question.  But  the  greater 
part  believe  that  a  specific  form  is  at  least  outlined 
in  the  New  Testament ;  and,  naturally  enough,  each 
one  believes  the  form  with  which  he  is  identified  is 
that  divinely  given  form.  It  may  be  safely  allowed 
that  no  one  class  or  company  of  Christians  has  at- 
tained to  all  the  truth,  leaving  all  others  exclusively 
in  error  ;  and  it  is  a  comfort  to  know  that,  however 
believers  may  differ  in  opinion  as  to  any  matter  of 
doctrine  or  of  duty,  if  with  loving  hearts  they  sin- 
cerely desire  to  know  the  right  and  do  it,  they  are 
blessed  of  God.  As  Peter  said  at  the  house  of  Cor- 
nelius, we  may  say,  ''  Of  a  truth  I  perceive  that  God 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  I43 

is  no  respecter  of  persons  :  but  in  every  nation  he 
that  feareth  Him,  and  worketh  righteousness,  is  ac- 
cepted with  Him." — Acts  10  :  34,  35. 

If,  however,  there  be  any  definite  plan  plainly 
taught  or  clearly  deducible  from  the  words  of 
Christ  or  His  inspired  Apostles,  we  should,  if  pos- 
sible, ascertain  that  fact  and  be  guided  accordingly. 
Or  if — what  would  be  equivalent — we  can  ascertain 
how  the  Apostles,  under  the  guidance  of  the  Spirit, 
organized  and  ordered  the  churches  they  founded, 
with  what  regulations  they  were  instituted,  and 
what  polity  was  impressed  upon  them,  our  questions 
will  be  substantially,  and,  it  should  seem,  satisfac- 
torily answered.  Indeed,  there  appears  to  be  light 
on  the  subject  in  this  direction  ;  for  though  no  for- 
mal plan  of  government  is  detailed,  yet  there  are 
numerous  incidental  references  in  the  Epistles  which 
clearly  disclose  formative  and  conclusive  facts  in  the 
case. 

I.      THREE   PRINCIPAL   FORMS 

of  Church  government  are  in  current  use  among  the 
denominations  : 

1.  The  Prelatical ;  in  which  the  governing  power 
is  in  the  hands  of  prelates  or  bishops,  and  the  clergy 
generally,  as  in  the  Roman,  Greek,  English,  and 
most  of  the  Oriental  communions. 

2.  The  Presbyterian  ;  in  which  the  governing 
power  resides  in  Assemblies,  Synods,  Presbyteries, 
and  Sessions  ;  as  in  the  Scottish  Kirk,  the  Lutheran, 
and  the  various  Presbyterian  bodies. 


144  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

3.  The  Independent ;  in  which  the  governing  power 
rests  entirely  with  the  people,  i.  e.,  the  body  of  the 
members  of  each  local  Church,  each  being  entirely 
separate  from  and  independent  of  all  others,  so  far 
as  authority  and  control  are  concerned  ;  as  among 
Baptists,  Congregationalists,  Independents,  and 
some  others. 

Now,  is  either  of  these  forms  taught  in  the  New 
Testament  ?  And  if  so,  which  }  And  which  best 
accords  with  the  genius  of  the  gospel,  and  with 
what  we  know  of  the  constitution  and  government 
of  the  apostolic  churches  } 

Baptists  claim  that  a  Christian  Church  is  a  con- 
gregation of  baptized  believers  associated  by  mutual 
covenant,  self-governing,  and  independent  of  all 
others  ;  having  no  ecclesiastical  connection  with 
any  other,  though  maintaining  friendly  and  associa- 
tional  intercourse  with  all  of  like  faith  and  order. 
It  has  no  power  to  enact  laws,  but  only  to  adminis- 
ter those  which  Christ  has  given. 

The  government  is  administered  by  the  body 
acting  together,  where  no  one  possesses  a  preem- 
inence, but  all  enjoy  an  equality  of  rights ;  and  in  de- 
ciding matters  of  opinion,  the  majority  bears  rule. 
The  pastor  exercises  only  such  control  over  the 
body  as  his  official  and  personal  influence  may 
allow,  as  their  teacher  and  leader  and  the  expound- 
er of  the  great  Lawgiver's  enactments.  His  influ- 
ence is  paramount,  but  not  his  authority.  In  the 
decision  of  questions  he  has  but  his  single  vote. 
His  rule  is  in  the  moral  force  of  his  counsels,  his 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  I45 

instruction  and  guidance  in  matters  of  truth  and 
duty,  and  also  in  wisely  directing  the  assemblies 
whether  for  worship  or  business.  Much  less  have 
the  deacons  any  authoritative  or  dictatorial  control 
over  Church  affairs.  Matters  of  administration  are 
submitted  to  the  body  and  by  them  decided. 

II.     CHURCH   INDEPENDENCY. 

As  has  been  said,  each  particular  and  individual 
Church  is  actually  and  absolutely  independent  in 
the  exercise  of  all  its  churchly  rights,  privileges, 
and  prerogatives  ;  independent  of  all  other  churches, 
individuals,  and  bodies  of  men  whatever,  and  is  un- 
der law  to  Christ  alone.  The  will  and  law  of  the 
great  Lawgiver  are  to  be  found  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, which  is  the  only  authoritative  statute  book 
for  His  people. 

This  statement  is  broad  and  comprehensive,  and 
needs  not  defence,  but  explanation  only.  That  In- 
dependency is  the  true  form  of  Church  government, 
as  opposed  to  Prelacy  and  Presbyterianism,  will  not 
now  be  argued,  but  is  assumed,  as  accepted  by  all 
Baptists,  taught  in  the  New  Testament,  verified  by 
history,  and  justified  by  the  genius  of  the  gospel 
itself.  But  all  human  liberty  is  under  limitations ; 
strictly  speaking  it  is  not  absolute. 

How  is  Church  Independence  Limited? 

I.  The  liberty  which  the  independence  of  churches 

exercises  is  limited  by   the   laws   of  Christ   as  ex- 
10 


146  THE   NEW   directory: 

pressed  or  clearly  implied  in  the  Scriptures.  A 
Church  is  not  a  legislative  body,  but  administrative 
only.  It  cannot  make  laws,  but  it  is  the  interpreter 
of  the  laws  of  Christ;  the  interpreter  for  itself,  not 
for  others.  Nor  can  others  interpret  laws  for  it. 
The  opinions  of  the  wise  and  good  have  their 
weight,  but  no  man  or  body  of  men  external  to  itself, 
has  the  right  to  become  authoritative  interpreters  of 
the  word  of  God  to  a  Church,  and  compel  submis- 
sion to  their  dicta — to  a  Church,  or  indeed  to  an  in- 
dividual, even. 

Churches  may  perform  many  unwise  and  unjusti- 
fiable acts.  They  may  misapply  or  misinterpret,  or 
openly  do  violence  to  both  the  letter  and  spirit  of  law. 
But  there  is  no  human  tribunal  to  which  they  can  be 
brought  for  trial  and  punishment,  except  that  of 
public  opinion.  Others,  in  the  exercise  of  their  per- 
sonal or  Church  liberty,  may  condemn  their  acts 
and  disclaim  all  responsibility  in  connection  with 
them  ;  may  withdraw  all  fellowship  and  intercourse 
from  them.  But  farther  than  this  they  cannot  go, 
except  by  the  moral  force  of  their  dissent  and  con- 
demnation. And  it  is  fortunate  that  such  is  the 
case,  since  to  crush  liberty  and  destroy  indepen- 
dency in  the  churches  of  Christ  would  be  a  greater 
calamity  than  to  bear  all  the  evils  which  may  spring 
from  a  misunderstanding  of  the  one,  or  a  misuse  of 
the  other. 

2.  The  independence  of  the  churches  is  limited, 
so  far  as  its  corporate  acts  are  concerned,  or  any 
matters  of  personal  rights  or  legal  equity  may  be  in 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  I47 

question,  by  the  laws  of  the  State  in  which  they  are 
located.  This,  however,  has  reference  only  to  the 
temporalities  of  Church  life,  and  cannot  touch  any 
question  of  doctrine,  worship,  or  Christian  duty. 
Most  churches,  by  an  organized  **  society,"  or  in 
some  other  way,  hold  relations  to  civil  law,  in  order 
to  enjoy  its  protection  in  rights  of  property.  To 
this  extent  they  are  subject  to  civil  authority,  and 
both  as  bodies  and  as  individuals  they  should  be 
law-keepers  and  not  law-breakers.  But  as  to  all 
matters  of  spiritual  concern  in  questions  of  religious 
faith  and  practice,  the  State  and  civil  law  have  no 
rights  of  control  over,  or  interference  with,  the 
churches  in  any  manner  whatever,  except  to  pro- 
tect them  in  the  enjoyment  of  all  their  lawful  priv- 
ileges. 

It  may  also  happen  that  in  the  exercise  of  its 
ecclesiastical  functions  in  acts  of  discipline  or  ex- 
clusion, a  Church  or  even  a  Council  may  be  charged 
with  decisions  which  are  defamatory  in  their  nature, 
calculated  to  injure  the  reputation  or  interfere  with 
the  secular  interests  of  the  individual,  and  he  may 
seek  redress  at  the  civil  courts.  Such  occurrences 
have  sometimes  transpired,  and  under  stress  of  cir- 
cumstances, are  liable  to  take  place.  Civil  courts 
usually  observe  this  rule  when  appealed  to  in 
ecclesiastical  matters,  viz. :  that  the  established 
usages  of  any  body  of  Christians  have  a  right  to  be 
followed,  and  if  these  have  been  carefully  observed 
and  not  transcended,  the  courts  will  not  interfere. 
But  if  from  passion,  prejudice,  or  ignorance,  these 


148  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

have  been  disregarded,  and  the  precedents  and  cus- 
toms of  the  denomination  have  been  violated,  the 
court  may  interfere  to  give  relief,  only  so  far,  how- 
ever, as  to  require  that  the  case  have  a  new  trial,  in 
which  their  own  established  rules  and  precedents 
shall  be  strictly  observed. 

3.  By  some  it  has  been  held,  that,  while  each 
Church  is  independent  in  theory,  its  liberty  is  some- 
what abridged  by  its  relations  to  other  churches, 
and  because  of  that  fellowship  and  comity  which 
exists  between  them.  By  such  it  is  claimed  that 
the  relation  of  each  Church  to  the  great  body  of 
churches  is  similar  to  the  relation  of  each  member 
of  a  Church  to  the  body  of  members  which  consti- 
tute that  Church  ;  and,  therefore,  as  each  member 
relinquishes  something  of  his  personal  liberty  on 
becoming  a  member,  and  consents  to  be  subject  to 
the  authority  of  the  body,  so  the  individual  Church 
does  on  becoming  one  of  the  general  fellowship  of 
churches.  Or,  they  argue,  to  take  another  figure  ; 
as  each  particular  State,  though  in  a  sense  sovereign 
and  independent,  yet  has  its  independency  limited 
by  being  a  member  of  the  federation  of  States,  and 
submits  in  certain  matters  to  be  subject  to  the  gen- 
eral government,  while  represented  in  it,  so  is  it 
with  a  single  Church  in  the  federation  of  churches. 

This  condition  of  affairs  has  sometimes  been  called 
the  interdependence  of  churches.  Precisely  what 
that  term  means  is  not  easily  explained.  But  it  is 
safe  to  pronounce  it  a  fiction.  There  is  no  such 
thing  as  interdependence  in  the  sense  of  a  limitation 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  I49 

of  the  self-governing  right  and  authority  of  a  Church. 
And  that  is  the  sense  in  which  their  interdependence 
is  asserted.  One  Church  may  be  poor  and  need 
help  from  one  that  is  rich  ;  or  it  may  be  in  perplex- 
ity and  need  advice  from  one  supposed  to  be  more 
experienced  —  as  the  Church  at  Antioch  sought 
counsel  of  the  older  and  more  experienced  Church 
at  Jerusalem,  or  as  the  churches  in  Macedonia  and 
Achaia  contributed  to  the  poor  saints  in  Judea. 
But  these  facts  do  not  touch  the  question  of  polity 
or  government ;  their  relations  to  each  other  in 
these  respects  remain  the  same.  Fellowship  and 
fraternal  concord  may  be  strengthened  ;  the  help- 
fulness of  the  one  and  the  gratitude  of  the  other 
may  be  increased,  but  the  one  is  none  the  more  in- 
dependent, nor  the  other  any  the  less  so,  because 
of  these  friendly  interchanges. 

But  this  whole  course  of  argument  alluded  to  is 
fallacious  and  misleading,  and  the  illustrations  used 
are  unauthorized,  inapplicable,  and  contrary  to  the 
facts.  There  is  no  such  relation  subsisting  between 
the  various  churches  constituting  a  general  fellow- 
ship as  exists  between  the  individual  members  of  a 
single  Church.  No  hint  or  intimation  of  any  such 
similarity  is  found  in  the  New  Testament,  where 
the  constitution  and  polity  of  a  Church  is  taught. 
There  is  no  other  and  larger  organization  provided 
for,  with  officers,  orders,  and  regulations,  including 
many  smaller  ones,  called  churches,  as  its  units.  If 
this  similarity  of  relation  be  insisted  on,  then  we 
shall    have    this    comprehensive     confederacy    of 


I50  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

churches  claiming  authority  over  the  individual 
churches,  receiving,  disciplining,  and  excluding 
them,  and  otherwise  exercising  powers  similar  to 
those  exercised  by  the  individual  Church  over  its 
members.  Admit  so  much,  and  we  have  prelacy  or 
papacy  at  once,  in  spirit  and  in  fact. 

Nor  is  there  any  relation  subsisting  between  the 
separate  churches,  which  can  be  fitly  compared  to 
the  union  of  States  in  a  federal  government.  If  it 
were  so  we  should  have  a  de  facto  Presbyterianism. 
This  whole  course  of  reasoning,  if  carried  out  to  its 
logical  results,  would  not  leave  a  vestige  of  Church 
independency.  The  only  limitation,  the  only  check 
upon  the  exercise  of  Christian  liberty  required  by 
the  Gospel,  is  loyalty  to  Christ  as  King  in  Zion, 
fidelity  to  His  truth,  and  a  constant  exercise  of  that 
kindly  courtesy  which  is  innate  in  the  Gospel  and 
essential  to  the  true  Christian  life,  whether  individ- 
ual or  organic,  whether  personal,  social,  or  official. 
This  spirit  dominant  will  give  all  the  fellowship 
which  churches  need  or  can  demand  ;  and  all  which 
a  Scriptural  polity  can  render  or  allow. 

4.  It  is  sometimes  objected  that  Baptists  are  too 
independent,  and  that  their  liberty  degenerates  into 
license.  Now,  on  calm  reflection,  all  this  must  be 
denied.  They  cannot,  as  churches,  be  too  inde- 
pendent, using  that  word  in  a  true  Christian  sense. 
Nor  can  liberty  become  license. 

Ignorant  and  foolish  men  may  be  charged  with 
many  wrong  acts.  They  may  practise  injustice  and 
oppression  in  the  name  of  liberty,  and  under  pre- 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  I5I 

tence  of  independence.  But  liberty  and  independ- 
ence are,  at  the  very  most,  only  the  occasion,  and 
are  in  no  sense  to  be  made  responsible  for  the  evils 
which  perverse  and  wrong-headed  persons  perpe- 
trate under  the  shelter  of  their  name.  Church  inde- 
pendency has  its  peculiar  liability  to  misuse  and 
abuse,  but  it  cannot  be  shown  that  its  difficulties 
are  any  more  numerous,  or  any  more  serious  than 
those  to  which  other  forms  of  Church  government 
are  liable.  Indeed,  if  this  be  the  true,  the  divine 
plan,  then  it  is  the  best  plan,  with  the  fewest  evils 
and  the  most  advantages.  The  defects  lie  not  in 
the  plan,  but  in  those  who  administer  the  govern- 
ment; and,  as  a  m.atter  of  fact,  it  can  be  shown  that 
churches  acting  under  the  independent  polity,  act- 
ually suffer  from  fewer  and  less  serious  difficulties 
than  those  subject  to  stronger  and  more  centralized 
governments. 

5.  The  independence  of  a  Church  is  limited  by 
the  personal  rights  of  its  individual  members.  That 
is  to  say,  the  liberty  of  the  body  to  act  cannot  law- 
fully be  used  to  infringe  the  lawful  liberty  of  its 
members.  A  Church,  as  a  body,  has  no  right  to 
violate  the  rights  of  its  members  in  the  exercise  of 
its  authority.  These  rights  need  to  be  clearly  de- 
fined and  well  understood  on  both  sides.  If  the 
morals  of  the  member  do  not  coincide  with  the 
morals  of  the  Gospel,  the  Church  has  the  right  to 
put  him  away  from  it,  if  he  cannot  be  reclaimed. 
But  the  body  cannot  properly  interfere  with  the 
rights  of  faith,  or   conscience,  on  the    part  of  the 


152  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

individual.  If  his  faith  be  judged  heretical,  and  an 
element  of  discord,  they  can  withdraw  fellowship 
from  him ;  but  they  can  neither  compel  uniformity 
nor  punish  dissent — except  by  separation. 

6.  And  still  further,  the  liberty  of  a  Church  is 
limited  by  the  terms  of  the  great  Commission,  and 
by  its  divine  institution,  to  the  pursuits  and  the  pur- 
poses contemplated  in  the  Gospel.  Whatever  its 
members  may  do  in  their  individual  capacity  as  citi- 
zens and  members  of  society,  the  Church  as  such 
must  confine  itself  to  the  mission  for  which  it  was 
founded — the  spread  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  advance- 
ment of  the  Kingdom  of  God  in  the  world.  It  can- 
not become  a  corporation  for  mercantile  or  manu- 
facturing pursuits ;  it  cannot  become  a  political 
organization ;  it  cannot  become  a  scientific  or  liter- 
ary association.  On  all  moral  questions,  however, 
the  Church  as  a  body,  as  well  as  its  individual  mem- 
bers, should  be  plainly  pronounced  and  clearly 
understood  as  standing  for  the  defence  of  virtue, 
purity  and  good  order,  since  these  are  essential  ele- 
ments of  Christianity.  Also  it  should  have  an  un- 
mistakable record  as  an  abettor  and  helper  of  good 
works,  charitable  and  benevolent  endeavors,  since 
these  are  inherent  in,  and  grow  out  of,  the  gospel. 
The  Church  cannot  dictate  what  a  member  shall 
eat  or  drink  or  wear ;  what  shall  be  his  business  or 
his  pleasure.  But  if,  in  any  of  these  matters,  ques- 
tions of  morals  and  religion  come  to  be  involved  to 
the  reproach  of  truth  and  the  Christian  profession, 
then  the  Church  has  the  right  to  interpose. 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  I53 

III.      EVIDENCE  OF  IT. 

Wherein  lies  the  proof  that  the  primitive  Church 
government  was  an  independency  f 

In  Matthew,  chap.  18  :  15-17,  where  our  Saviour 
for  the  first  time,  and,  with  one  exception,  the  only- 
time,  in  His  personal  conversation,  speaks  of  the 
Church  distinctively,  His  recognition  of  it  as  the 
only  source  of  ecclesiastical  authority  is  positive 
and  complete.  In  giving  directions  for  the  adjust- 
ment of  difficulties  among  brethren  and  the  pacifica- 
tion of  their  social  disturbances,  He  first  expounds 
their  personal  duties ;  but  when  He  speaks  of 
authoritative  action,  tJiat  belongs  to  the  Church. 
And  the  Church's  action  is  final.  That  action  ad- 
mits of  no  reversal  and  of  no  review.  There  was  to 
be  no  court  beyond  or  above  the  single  Church. 
He  recognized  no  hierarchy,  no  presbytery,  no 
synod,  no  assembly,  no  council  ;  but  "■  tell  it  to  the 
Church."  That  ends  the  matter  of  appeal.  **  If  he 
neglect  to  hear  the  Church,  let  him  be  unto  thee  as 
a  heathen  man  and  a  publican." 

The  course  pursued  by  the  Church  at  Antioch,  in 
Syria  is  suggestive.  When  a  difficulty  arose  pertain- 
ing to  the  engrafting  of  Jewish  customs  upon  a  Chris- 
tian polity,  respecting  which  they  were  in  doubt, 
they  sent  a  delegation  to  the  Church  at  Jerusalem, 
as  being  not  only  at  the  seat  of  the  Jewish  cultus^  but 
of  the  earliest  Christian  knowledge  as  well,  besides 
having  in  their  fellowship  the  apostles.  From  this 
source,  therefore,  they  would  obtain  authoritative 


154  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

instruction. — Acts  15.  This  deputation,  including 
Paul  and  Barnabas,  on  their  arrival  did  not  appeal 
to  any  select  company  of  officials,  not  even  to  the 
inspired  Apostles;  but  to  the  whole  Church,  inclu- 
sive of  these.  "  And  when  they  came  to  Jerusalem 
they  were  received  of  the  Church,  and  of  the  Apos- 
tles, and  elders." — v.  4.  After  a  full  statement  and 
discussion  of  the  case,  and  an  expressed  opinion  by 
James,  the  pastor  of  the  Church,  they  agreed  on 
what  reply  to  make  to  the  Church  at  Antioch. 
"  Then  pleased  it  the  apostles,  and  elders,  with  the 
whole  Church,  to  send  chosen  men  of  their  own 
company  to  Antioch,  with  Paul  and  Barnabas." — 
v.  22.  In  addition  to  this  delegation  they  sent  let- 
ters also  conveying  their  judgment  in  the  case. 
And  these  letters  recognized  the  Church  in  its  three 
estates.  **  The  apostles  and  elders  and  brethren 
greeting,  unto  the  brethren  which  are  of  the  Gentiles 
in  Antioch." — v.  23.  And  they  added  :  *'  it  seemed 
good  unto  us,  being  assembled  with  one  accord." 
And  "  it  seemed  good  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  to 
us." — vs.  25-28. 

One  independent  Church,  wishing  advice,  sought 
counsel  of  another  independent  Church,  in  whose 
experience  and  wisdom  they  had  more  confidence 
than  in  their  own.  And  the  Church  appealed  to, 
in  the  exercise  of  their  independence,  gave  the  ad- 
vice sought.  Nor  did  the  Apostles,  though  in- 
spired, assume  to  dictate  in  this  matter,  or  to  act 
without  the  cooperation  of  the  elders  and  breth- 
ren.    Nor  yet  did  the  Apostles  and  elders  assume 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  1 55 

to  act  alone;  "all  the  multitude,"  and  "the  whole 
Church,"  were  present  to  hear  and  act  with  their 
leaders. 

The  Apostles  regarded  and  treated  the  churches 
as  independent  bodies,  having  the  rights  of  self- 
government,  without  subjection  to  any  other  author- 
ity. They  reported  their  own  doings  to  the  churches, 
and  addressed  their  epistles  to  them,  as  to  inde- 
pendent bodies,  and  not  to  a  confederacy,  includ- 
ing many  distinct  congregations  ;  nor  yet  to  any 
official  representatives  of  these  congregations.  In 
communicating  with  them  the  Apostles  recognized 
their  right  to  choose  their  own  officers,  to  admit, 
discipline,  and  exclude  members  ;  primary  and 
fundamental  rights,  which,  being  conceded,  imply 
all  other  rights  necessary  to  a  self-governing  com- 
munity, acting  under  divinely  enacted  laws.  They 
also  enjoined  upon  them,  as  the  responsible  and 
authoritative  executives  of  this  power,  the  exercise 
of  these  functions,  especially  in  the  discipline  and 
exclusion  of  unworthy  members. 

And  nothing  could  more  distinctly  or  more  em- 
phatically declare  what  is  here  claimed,  than  the 
fact  that  the  Lord,  in  the  Apocalyptic  Epistles, 
addressed  specifically  the  individual  churches  of 
Asia,  through  the  angels,  or  pastors  of  these 
churches.  The  counsels,  warnings,  reproofs  and 
commendations  are  in  each  case  for  the  particular 
Church  addressed,  as  responsible,  censurable,  or 
commendable.  They  were  not  addressed  as  a  com- 
bination, or  system  of  churches,  either  hierarchical 


156  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

or  synodical ;  not  as  ''  the  Church  of  Asia,"  but  the 
churches,  individual  and  separate. 

MOSHEIM,  the  Church  historian,  says  of  the  first 
century : 

"In  those  primitive  times  each  Christian  Church  was 
composed  of  Xh&  people,  the  presiding  officers,  and  the  assist- 
ants or  deacons.  These  must  be  the  component  parts  of 
every  society.  The  principal  voice  was  that  of  the  people, 
or  the  whole  body  of  Christians. "  "  The  assembled  people 
therefore  elected  their  own  rulers  and  teachers."  Of  the 
second  century,  he  adds:  "  One  president  or  bishop  presided 
over  each  Church.  He  was  created  by  the  common  suffrages 
of  the  whole  people."  "  During  a  great  part  of  this  century 
all  the  churches  continued  to  be,  as  at  first,  independent  of 
each  other.  Each  Church  was  a  kind  of  small  independent 
republic,  governing  itself  by  its  own  laws,  enacted  or  at  least 
sanctioned  by  the  people." — Eccl.  Hist.  Cent.  I.  part  I.  Ch. 
II.  sees.  J,  6;  Cent.  II.  Ch.  II.  sees,  i,  2. 

GlESELER,  in  his  Church  history,  speaking  of  the 
changes  which  occurred  in  ecclesiastical  order  dur- 
ing the  second  century,  says  : 

"Country  churches,  which  had  grown  up  around  some 
city,  seem,  with  their  bishops,  to  have  been  usually,  in  a  cer- 
tain degree,  under  the  authority  of  the  mother  Church. 
With  this  exception,  all  the  churches  were  alike  independent, 
though  some  were  especially  held  in  honor,  on  such  ground 
as  their  Apostolic  origin,  or  the  importance  of  the  city  in 
which  they  were  situated." — Ch.  Hist.  Period  I.  Div.  I.  Ch.j 
sec.  ^2. 

SCHAFF,  in  his  history,  says : 

"Thus  the  Apostolic  Church  appears  as  a  free,  independ- 
ent, and  complete  organization;   a  system  of  supernatural 


CHUkCtt    GOVERNMENT.  15/ 

divine  life,  in  a  human  body.  It  contains  in  itself  all  the 
offices  and  energies  required  for  its  purpose.  It  produces 
the  supply  of  its  outward  wants  from  its  own  free  spirit.  In- 
stead of  receiving  protection  and  support  from  the  secular 
power,  it  suffers  deadly  hatred  and  persecution.  It  manages 
its  own  internal  affairs  with  equal  independence.  Of  union 
with  the  State,  either  in  the  way  of  hierarchical  supremacy  or 
of  Erastian  subordination,  the  first  three  centuries  afford  no 
trace."— C^.  Hist.  Vol.  I.  sec.  4^,  p.  138.     N.   V.,  1871. 

Waddington,  on  this  subject,  says : 

"  It  is  also  true  that  in  the  earliest  government  of  the  first 
Christian  society,  that  of  Jerusalem,  not  the  elders  only,  but 
the  whole  Church,  were  associated  with  the  apostles.  And 
it  is  even  certain  that  the  terms  bishop  and  elder  or  presbyter, 
were  in  the  first  instance,  and  for  a  short  period,  sometimes 
used  synonymously." — Hist,  of  the  Ch.,  p.  41 

Abp.  Whately  says  of  the  primitive  churches : 

"  Though  there  was  one  Lord,  one  Faith,  and  one  Baptism 
for  all  of  these,  yet  they  were  each  a  distinct  independent 
community  on  earth,  united  by  the  common  principles  on 
which  they  were  founded,  by  their  mutual  agreement,  affec- 
tion and  respect." — Kingdom  of  Christ,  pp.  ioi-ij6.  N.  Y,  Ed. 

Dr.  Burton  says : 

"  Every  Church  had  its  own  spiritual  head,  or  bishop,  and 
Was  independent  of  every  other  Church,  with  respect  to  its 
own  internal  regulations  and  laws." — Cited  by  Coleman^ 
Primitive  Christianity,  p.  ^o. 

Dr.  Barrow  says : 

"  At  first  every  Church  was  settled  apart  under  its  bishops 
and  presbyters,  so  as  independently  and  separately  to  man- 
age its  own  affairs.     Each  was  governed  by  its  own  head, 


15^  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

and  had  its  own  laws." — Treatise  on  the  Pope's  Suprem.  Works 
Vol.  I.  p.  662,     Col  Prim.  Christ. 

Dr.  Coleman  says : 

"These  churches,  wherever  formed,  became  separate  and 
independent  bodies,  competent  to  appoint  their  officers  and 
administer  their  own  government  without  reference  or  sub- 
ordination to  any  central  authority  or  foreign  power.  No 
fact  connected  with  the  history  of  the  primitive  churches  is 
more  fully  established  or  more  generally  conceded." — Prim, 
Christ' y  Exemp.  Ch.  4,  sec.  4,  p.  p>j. 

Dr.  Francis  Wayland  says : 

"The  Baptists  have  ever  believed  in  the  entire  and  abso" 
lute  independence  of  the  churches.  By  this  we  mean  that 
every  Church  of  Christ — that  is,  every  company  of  believers 
united  together  according  to  the  laws  of  Christ — is  wholly 
independent  of  every  other.  That  every  Church  is  capable 
of  self-government;  and  that  therefore  no  one  acknowledges 
any  higher  authority  under  Christ,  than  itself;  that  with  the 
Church  all  ecclesiastical  action  commences,  and  with  it  all 
terminates."  "The  more  steadfastly  we  hold  to  the  inde- 
pendency of  the  churches  and  abjure  everything  in  the  form 
of  a  denominational  corporation,  the  more  truly  shall  we  be 
united,  and  the  greater  will  be  our  prosperity." — Princs  and 
Pracs  of  Bap.  Chs.,  pp.  17 S,  igo. 

Dr.  David  Benedict,  the  Baptist  historian,  says : 

"The  doctrine  of  absolute  Church  independence  has 
always  been  a  favorite  one  with  our  people.  Under  it  they 
have  greatly  flourished,  and  very  few  have  complained  of  its 
operation." — Fifty  Years  among  the  Baptists,  p.  jgg. 

That  the  apostolical  churches,  therefore,  were 
independent  in  their  form  of  government,  seems  to 


CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  1 59 

be  clearly  proven.  Many  prelatists,  as  well  as 
others  besides  those  here  cited,  concede  this  point. 
In  this  respect,  therefore,  and  so  far  as  their  inde- 
pendency is  concerned,  Baptists  are  manifestly 
founded  on  the  New  Testament  order  of  Church 
building  and  Church  life  ;  and,  so  far,  are  true  suc- 
cessors of  the  Apostles.  Nor  does  it  avail  to  urge 
objections  to  this  independency,  or  magnify  the  dif- 
ficulties to  which  it  is  liable.  It  can  be  shown  that 
other  forms  have  inherent  in  them  even  greater  lia- 
bilities to  misuse  ;  while  this,  if  it  were  established 
by  divine  wisdom,  must  be  the  best  fitted  to  its  pur- 
pose, and  is  the  one  to  be  used  and  preserved. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

CHURCH  DISCIPLINE. 

Every  organization  which  proposes  to  work 
smoothly,  and  yet  efficiently,  must  have  certain 
rules  and  regulations  to  be  followed;  certain  laws 
for  the  individual  members  to  obey.  Failing  in  this 
— either  without  laws  or  with  laws  disregarded — all 
effort  will  go  wide  of  the  mark,  and  all  endeavors, 
instead  of  succeeding  and  furthering  each  other,  will 
counteract  and  interrupt  each  other;  confusion  will 
ensue,  the  wisest  designs  be  frustrated,  and  the  best- 
laid  plans  become  abortive.  This  is  true  every- 
where. In  the  State,  in  the  family,  every  associa- 
tion whether  for  business,  politics,  scientific,  literary 
or  art  research  or  improvement,  all  must  be  regu- 
lated by  laws  adopted  for  the  common  good,  to 
which  obedience  is  to  be  rendered  by  the  members. 
And  the  object  sought  to  be  attained  must  fail  un- 
less there  be  conformity  to  the  laws  by  which  the 
organization  is  bound  together,  and  obedience  to 
which  constitutes  its  vital  force. 

There  is  no  society  to  which  these  remarks  apply 

more  appropriately  and  with  more  emphasis,  than 

to  that   one   divinely  constituted  organization,  the 

•60 


CHURCH    DISCIPLINE.  l6l 

**  Society  of  Jesus, "the  Church  of  Christ.  It  has  its 
laws,  not  human  enactments,  but  divine.  They  are 
few  and  simple,  not  difficult  to  be  understood  or 
obeyed.  '*  His  commandments  are  not  grievous;" 
and  on  conformity  to  them,  both  by  the  Church  as 
a  body,  and  by  the  individual  members  as  well,  de- 
pend the  peace,  harmony  and  efficiency  of  the  so- 
ciety. When  these  regulations  fall  into  disuse,  and 
the  good  order  of  the  body  is  neglected,  it  becomes 
weak  and  inefficient,  neither  commanding  the  con- 
fidence of  its  own  members,  nor  the  respect  of  the 
world.  It  is  true  that  mere  laws  are  a  dead  letter 
without  the  indwelling  spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus. 
But  the  indwelling  spirit  of  life  becomes  effectual 
only  as  it  works  to  its  purpose  in  harmony  with 
those  laws  given  for  its  guidance.  Law  and  life ! 
Life  and  law !  Life  to  energize;  law  to  guide. 
This  is  the  philosophy  and  the  method  of  the  uni- 
verse, both  in  nature  and  in  grace. 

To  some  the  word  discipline  has  an  unpleasant 
sound.  It  seems  punitive.  It  savors  of  transgres- 
sion, conflict  and  punishment.  But  Church  Dis- 
cipline is  not  to  be  taken  in  this  narrow  sense  alone; 
nor  does  it  develop  these  unlovely  features,  except 
where,  by  the  culpable  neglect  of  pastors  and  others, 
it  has  fallen  into  decay,  good  order  and  the  well-be- 
ing of  the  body  have  been  long  disregarded,  and 
the  Church  has  become  a  lawless  and  disorderly 
company.  Then  a  very  hasty,  and  possibly  an  in- 
temperate effort  to  make  matters  right,  without  suf- 
ficient prudence  and  precaution,  may  develop  dif- 
11 


l62  THE    NEW   DIRECTORY. 

ficulties.  As  chronic  disorder  and  disregard  of  law- 
ful regulations  in  every  society  tend  not  only  to  a 
decay  of  efficient  action,  but  to  the  ultimate  de- 
struction of  the  society  itself,  and  prepare  for  con- 
flict, if  a  vigorous  effort  be  made  to  reestablish 
good  order  and  the  reign  of  law;  so  many  a  Church 
has  declined  even  to  imbecility,  if  not  to  death,  by 
long  neglect  of  judicious  and  healthful  discipline. 
Many  a  Church  has  found  serious  trouble  in  rees- 
tablishing a  healthful  order  and  discipline,  after  long- 
continued  neglect  and  disorder.  But  many  a  Church 
has  also  found  that  a  thorough  course  of  Christian 
labor,  and  the  reestablishment  of  a  healthful  scrip- 
tural discipline  has  brought  back  to  the  body  order 
and  harmony,  reinvigorated  its  wasted  energies,  has 
produced  a  better  tone  of  practical  piety,  and  be- 
come the  precursor  of  a  revival  of  religion. 

Discipline,  in  its  larger  sense,  means  training, 
cultivation,  improvement,  according  to  prescribed 
rules;  subordination  to  law;  administration  of  gov- 
ernment and  submission  to  lawfully  constituted 
authority ;  from  disco,  I  learn  ;  disciple y  a  learner, 
one  under  discipline,  taught  and  trained.  Church 
discipline  is  sometimes  distinguished  2iS  formative 
and  corrective;  the  former  having  reference  to  cul- 
ture, training  and  development  according  to  Chris- 
tian law,  and  the  latter  to  the  management  of  dif- 
ficulties, and  the  correction  of  offenses  as  they  arise 
in  Church  life  and  practice.  It  is  to  the  latter,  mote 
especially,  that  attention  is  given  in  discussions  on 
the  subject,  and  the  latter  is  usually  understood  to 


CHURCH    DISCIPLINE.  163 

be  meant  when  Church  discipline  is  mentioned.  To 
this  more  particularly  is  attention  here  given.  But 
this  is  not  because  formative  and  cultural  discipline 
for  edification  and  development  is  less  important, 
but  these  ends  are  largely  attained  by  instruction 
from  the  pulpit,  the  various  departments  of  worship 
and  the  general  activities  of  Christian  life. 

That  corrective  discipline  may  be  carried  to  an 
unwise  and  an  injurious  extent  is  not  denied;  but 
the  prevailing  tendency  among  our  churches  is  in 
another  direction.  It  is  to  too  great  laxity,  and  not 
to  too  great  severity.  Pastors  and  official  members 
find  it  easier  to  let  things  drift  than  to  attempt  the 
unpleasant  task  of  correcting  abuses.  But  pastors 
do  not  wisely  forecast  their  own  comfort,  nor  the 
honor  of  the  Church,  who  do  not  strive  to  preserve 
the  purity  of  the  body  while  they  keep  out  and  cast 
out  everything  that  can  justly  become  a  scandal  to 
the  Christian  Church,  or  a  disgrace  to  the  Christian 
profession. 

The  Church  is  the  school  of  Christ;  let  the  school 
be  controlled  with  strict,  yet  wise  and  kindly  dis- 
cipline, or  the  pupils  will  learn  more  of  evil  than  of 
good,  and  anarchy  and  confusion  will  supplant  good 
government.  The  Church  is  a  family;  let  there  be 
law  and  order  in  the  household,  tempered  with  ten- 
derness and  discretion,  otherwise  the  family  fails  of 
its  mission,  and  becomes  a  reproach  rather  than  a 
blessing  to  society.  The  Church  is  the  organic 
representative  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ;  unless  law 
prevail  in  the  kingdom  and  order  be  maintained, 


164  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

how  shall  the  King  be  honored,  the  kingdom  be  ad- 
vanced, or  the  world  be  blessed  by  its  coming  and 
triumph  ? 

It  is  therefore  of  the  utmost  importance  that  a 
correct  scriptural  discipline  be  strictly  maintained. 
The  neglect  of  it  fills  a  Church  with  evils  which 
check  the  growth  of  piety,  hinder  the  success  of  the 
Gospel,  and  reproach  the  Christian  name,  while 
from  an  injudicious  and  unscriptural  exercise  of  it, 
more  dissensions  have  arisen  than  perhaps  from  any 
other  single  cause.  Every  well-organized  society 
has  its  regulations,  in  which  each  one,  on  becoming 
a  member,  acquiesces,  to  which  he  pledges  his  sup- 
port, and  by  which  he  submits  to  be  governed,  so 
long  as  he  shall  belong  to  it;  and  leave  it,  if  he  ever 
does  leave  it,  according  to  its  stipulated  forms. 

A  Christian  Church  is  the  most  perfectly  con- 
structed society  known  to  men,  and  its  system  of 
government  the  most  simple  and  complete.  As 
each  member  on  entering  it,  solemnly  covenants  to 
maintain,  defend  and  abide  by  these  regulations,  so 
he  should  consider  himself  bound  by  the  most 
sacred  considerations  to  honor  and  keep  his  cove- 
nant inviolate. 

I.     THREE   LAWS   OF  CHRIST'S  HOUSE. 

There  are  three  laws  of  Christ's  house,  royal  de- 
crees, given  by  Him  who  is  '*  Head  over  all  things 
to  the  Church,"  which  stand  invested  with  all  the 
sanctions  of  divine  authority,  and  which,  could  they 


CHURCH    DISCIPLINE.  I65 

be  known,  loved  and  obeyed,  if  they  did  not  abso- 
lutely prevent  all  offenses,  would  obviate  the  neces- 
sity for  private  labor  and  public  discipline.  They 
would  make  churches  '*  households  of  faith,"  where 
Christians  should  abide  "  in  the  unity  of  the  Spirit, 
and  in  the  bond  of  peace."  Green  pastures  where 
the  flock  should  rest  in  safety,  and  feed  with  joy. 
Will  not  every  Church  member  make  them  the 
guide  of  his  life  } 

First  law  :  for  every  disciple  ;  the  law  of  Love, 
"  A  new  commandment  I  give  unto  you,  that  ye 
love  one  another  ;  as  I  have  loved  you,  that  ye  also 
love  one  another." — ^John  13:34.  This,  if  strictly 
obeyed,  would  prevent  all  cause  of  grief  and  offense, 
either  personally  to  brethren  or  publicly  to  the 
Church.  It  would  prevent  cold  indifference  to  each 
other's  welfare,  unfounded  suspicions,  causeless 
accusations,  jealousies,  animosities,  bitterness,  ha- 
tred, and  strife,  and  cause  each  to  love  the  other 
"  with  a  pure  heart  fervently." 

Second  law:  for  the  offender;  the  law  of  Con- 
fession. "  If  thou  bring  thy  gift  to  the  altar,  and 
there  rememberest  that  thy  brother  hath  aught 
against  thee,  leave  there  thy  gift  before  the  altar, 
and  go  thy  way;  first  be  reconciled  to  thy  brother, 
and  then  come  and  offer  thy  gift." — Matt.  5  :  23,  24. 
This  law  makes  it  obligatory  on  every  one  who  sup- 
poses that  a  brother  has  aught  against  him,  to  go  to 
such  an  one  without  delay  and  secure,  if  possible,  a 
reconciliation.  And  this  he  must  do,  whether  there 
be,  in  his  opinion,  just  cause  or  not  for  that  brother 


l66  THE   NEW   PIRECTORY. 

to  be  offended;  whether  or  not  he  has  given  occa- 
sion for  offense.  But  knowing  that  a  brother  has 
grief  on  his  account,  he  must  go  and  attempt  a 
reconciliation.  Nor  must  he  suppose  that  his  gift 
will  be  acceptable  to  God,  while  he  is  unreconciled 
to  man. 

Third  law  :  for  the  offended;  the  law  of  Forgive- 
ness. "  If  thy  brother  trespass  against  thee,  rebuke 
him;  and  if  he  repent  forgive  him.  And  if  he  tres- 
pass against  thee  seven  times  in  a  day  and  seven 
times  in  a  day  turn  again  to  thee,  saying,  I  repent,  thou 
shalt  forgive  him." — Luke  17:  3, 4.  This  law  enjoins  a 
perpetual  personal  forgiveness  of  injuries;  of  injuries 
repented  of  and  confessed.  It  does  not  enjoin  that 
the  often  transgressor  be  held  in  the  same  esteem  as 
before,  for  that  might  be  impossible.  Nor  does  it 
require  that  a  Church  should  abstain  from  the  exer- 
cise of  a  needed  and  healthful  discipline,  nor  that  it 
should  discontinue  a  course  already  begun  because 
the  individual  declares  his  repentance.  In  some 
cases  this  may  be  done ;  but  instances  not  unfre- 
quently  occur  when  it  is  not  required.  In  another 
form,  the  substance  of  this  law  was  affirmed  by  Jesus, 
when,  in  answer  to  Peter's  question  as  to  how  often 
he  should  forgive  a  brother,  He  replied,  "  I  say  not 
unto  thee  until  seven  times,  but  until  seventy  times 
seven." — Matt.  18:  22.  That  is,  constantly.  But  this 
has  no  reference  to  Church  action. 

Note  i.— It  is  true  that  Jesus  did  not  proclaim  these  stat- 
utes for  just  the  occasion  for  which,  nor  in  just  the  relation 
to  each  other,  in  which  they  have  been  placed  here,     But 


CHURCH    DISCIPLINE.  167 

they  cover  all  the  ground  of  social  Christian  intercourse, 
whether  in  or  out  of  Church  relations,  and  apply  with  pre- 
eminent fitness  to  that  intercourse  which  may  involve  mat- 
ters of  discipline. 

Note  2. — Some  have  mistakenly  inferred  that  because 
perpetual  personal  forgiveness  is  enjoined  by  our  Lord,  there- 
fore all  corrective  Church  discipline  is  needless,  if  not  out  of 
place.  This  is  doing  violence  to  common  sense  and  plain 
facts.  Because  a  father  is  bound  constantly  to  forgive  an 
erring  but  penitent  child,  is  that  a  reason  why  all  family  gov- 
ernment should  be  abrogated,  and  the  sinning  child  not  be 
called  to  account  for  his  repeated  offenses  ?    Certainly  not. 

Note  3. — An  erring  brother  may  not,  and  probably  will 
not,  be  able  to  regain  at  once  the  confidence  forfeited  by  his 
offense,  and  especially  if  his  offense  be  repeated.  Confidence 
lost  is  slowly  restored.  Nevertheless,  if  his  repentance  seem 
sincere  he  should  be  treated  with  hearty  good  will,  and  not 
be  regarded  with  suspicion. 

Note  4. — It  is  not  always  satisfactory  or  sufficient  evidence 
of  penitence  that  one  says  he  is  sorry.  He  must  "do  works 
meet  for  repentance, "  in  order  that  the  Church  should  be  un- 
der obligation  to  restore  him  to  its  favor,  particularly  where 
the  offense  has  been  grievous,  or  oft-repeated. 

IL      THE  SCOPE   OF  DISCIPLINE. 

Unhappily,  offenses  do  come,  and  these  rojyal 
decrees  are  not  always  strictly  observed.  Hence 
the  nature,  scope  and  purpose  of  these  administra- 
tive methods  need  to  be  well  understood. 

r.   The  Object  of  Discipline. 

The  object  and  purpose  of  discipline  is  to  prevent, 
restrain,  or  remove  the  evil  that  may  exist,  to  en- 
courage and  protect  the  right,  and  cherish  the  good, 


l68  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

'•  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ,"  that  it  may 
be  **  perfect  in  love,"  and  without  reproach.  It  is 
not  to  gratify  personal  prejudice,  or  secure  any  self- 
ish ends,  but  to  reclaim  the  wandering,  guide  the  way- 
ward, and  secure  the  best  spiritual  interests  of  each 
member,  and  the  purity,  good  order,  and  efficiency 
of  the  entire  body.  That  Church  is  always  held  in 
higher  esteem  by  its  own  members,  and  more  re- 
spected and  honored  by  the  world,  where  a  high 
standard  of  Christian  morals  is  maintained,  and  a 
jealous  watch-care  is  exercised  over  the  faith  and 
conduct  of  its  members. 

2.   The  Spirit  of  Discipline. 

The  justification  and  the  effectiveness  of  discipline 
depend  not  a  little  on  the  spirit  with  which  it  is  ex- 
ercised. It  must  not  be  exercised  in  a  spirit  of  arro- 
gance, nor  of  dictation,  nor  of  assumed  superiority, 
much  less  of  vindictiveness,  but  of  fraternal  solic' 
itude,  of  gentleness  and  love.  If  the  impression  be 
given  to  the  offender  that  there  is  a  disposition  to 
condemn  and  punish,  the  whole  purpose  is  frus- 
trated. Paul's  injunction  to  the  Galatians  was, 
"  Brethren,  if  a  man  be  overtaken  in  a  fault,  ye 
which  are  spiritual  restore  such  a  one  in  the  spirit 
of  meekness;  considering  thyself  lest  thou  also  be 
tempted." — Gal.  6:  i.  This  should  be  a  perpetual 
guide  to  the  temper  of  Christian  labor  with  erring 
disciples,  and  is  worthy  to  be  inscribed  in  gold  on 
the  walls  of  every  Church;  or,  better  still,  written  by 
the  Spirit  of  God  on  every  Christian  heart.     The 


CHURCH    DISCIPLINE.  169 

work  oi restoration  is  to  be  done,  and  not  neglected; 
but  it  is  to  be  done  in  a  spirit  of  meekness,  with  a 
sense  of  one's  own  liability  to  err. 

3.  The  Right  of  Discipline. 

That  churches  have  a  right  to  exercise  a  watchful 
supervision  over  their  members,  to  reprove  them 
when  erring,  and  withdraw  fellowship  from  them 
when  incorrigible,  is  a  necessity  arising  from  the 
very  constitution  of  their  organization.  The  right 
to  exercise  discipline  inheres  in  the  very  nature 
of  government,  whether  the  government  be  in  the 
hands  of  one,  the  few,  or  the  many.  This  right  was 
recognized  by  Christ  and  His  Apostles, and  was  ex- 
ercised by  the  first  churches.  '*  But  if  he  neglect 
to  hear  the  Church,  let  him  be  unto  thee  as  a  heathen 
man,  and  a  publican." — Matt.  18:  17.  "Now  we 
command  you,  brethren,  in  the  name  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  that  ye  withdraw  yourselves  from  every 
brother  that  walketh  disorderly,  and  not  after  the 
tradition  which  he  received  of  us." — 2  Thess.  3 : 
6.  "A  man  that  is  a  heretic  after  the  first  and 
second  admonition,  reject." — Titus  3  :  10. 

4.  The  Duty  of  Discipli7te, 

Not  only  has  a  Church  the  right  to  exercise  disci- 
pline, in  the  milder  forms  of  fraternal  labor,  for  the 
removal  of  evils,  but  to  the  extreme  of  excision  it  is 
the  imperative  duty  of  every  Church  to  administer 
this  needed  and  salutary  part  of  government.  That 
Church  is  unfaithful  to  itself,  to  its  members  and  to 


I/O 


THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 


its  living  Head,  that  neglects  it.  Not  that  it  should 
seek  opportunity  to  find  faults,  or  to  deal  with  the 
weak  and  the  wandering,  but  it  should  be  faithful  to 
do  this  when  occasion  calls  for  it.  **  If  thy  brother 
trespass  against  thee,  rebuke  him;  and  if  he  repent, 
forgive  him." — Luke  17:  3.  ''Them  that  sin  rebuke 
before  all,  that  others  also  may  fear." — i  Tim.  5:  20. 
"  Wherefore  come  out  from  among  them." — 2  Cor.  6 : 
17;  because  "Whether  one  member  suffer,  all  the 
members  suffer  with  it." — i  Cor.  12  :  26.  "I  beseech 
you,  brethren,  mark  them  which  cause  divisions  and 
offenses  contrary  to  the  doctrine  which  ye  have 
learned,  and  avoid  them." — Rom.  16:  17.  "  There- 
fore put  away  from  among  yourselves  that  wicked 
person." — i  Cor.  5:  13. 

5.   The  Limit  of  Discipline. 

The  exercise  of  discipline  is  limited  in  its  range, 
by  the  laws  of  Christ  as  applied  to  Christian  faith 
and  morals,  kindly  and  generously  interpreted,  in 
the  spirit  of  fraternal  affection,  and  yet  with  fidelity 
to  the  purity  of  truth,  and  the  honor  of  the  Gospel. 
Also  it  is  limited  to  such  matters  of  covenant  agree- 
ment as  were  understood  by  each  member  on  enter- 
ing the  Church,  as  forming  the  rules  and  regulations 
of  the  body.  Evidently  it  would  not  be  expected 
that  such  matters  as  were  purely  personal  to  the  in- 
dividual, not  violations  of  any  law  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, not  transgressions  of  Christian  morals,  nor 
yet  of  covenant  obligations,  should  be  deemed  of- 
fenses   for  which    discipline    should    be    invoked. 


CHURCH    DISCIPLINE.  17I 

Personal  rights  are  to  be  held  sacred,  and  no  un- 
authorized yoke  placed  upon  the  necks  of  the  dis- 
ciples ;  no  yoke  but  His.  "  Now  I  praise  you, 
brethren,  that  ye  remember  me  in  all  things,  and 
keep  the  ordinances,  as  I  delivered  them  to  you."— 
I  Cor.  11:2. 

6.    The  Result  of  Discipline. 

Discipline  has  a  positive  and  definite  purpose.  It 
is  not  an  aimless  and  vagrant  administration.  Its 
design  is  to  heal  the  offense,  or  remove  the  offender; 
the  correction  of  the  evil,  or  the  expulsion  of  the 
evil-doer;  so  far,  at  least,  as  corrective  discipline  is 
concerned.  So  soon  as  the  erring  one  can  be  in- 
duced to  turn  from  his  evil  way,  making  acknowl- 
edgment of  it,  with  promise  of  a  better  course,  the 
labor  with  him  is  to  cease,  the  proper  result  having 
been  attained;  that  is,  in  all  ordinary  cases.  Some 
exceptions  may  be  hereafter  mentioned.  **  If  he  re- 
pent, forgive  him." — Luke  17  :  3.  *'  If  he  neglect 
to  hear  the  Church,  let  him  be  unto  thee  as  a  heathen 
man  and  a  publican." — Matt.  18:  17.  '' Purge  out, 
therefore,  the  old  leaven,  that  ye  may  be  a  new 
lump,  as  ye  are  unleavened." — i  Cor.  5  ;  7. 

III.      AS  TO   OFFENSES. 

Offenses  are  usually  considered  as  of  two  kinds, 
private  and  public ;  or  personal  and  general.  These 
terms  do  not  very  accurately  define  the  distinction, 
or  indicate  the  nature  of  the  offenses  themselves. 
Nor  are  these  classes  of  evils  very  clearly  defined, 


172  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

since  they  often  run  into  each  other.  There  are 
other  terms  which  would  perhaps  more  accurately 
express  the  two  classes;  but  as  these  are  in  common 
use,  they  will  be  retained  here. 

It  has  been  already  intimated,  that  in  the  social 
relations  of  Church  life,  personal  peculiarities  on  the 
part  of  some  may  appear,  which  to  others  are  un- 
pleasant and  even  offensive,  but  which  can  in  no 
sense  be  amenable  to  discipline.  Such  are  to  be 
endured  with  patience,  as  disagreeable  things  in  the 
family  are  borne  with,  and  remedied,  if  remedied  at 
all,  by  the  moulding  influence  of  kind  and  genial 
intercourse.  Not  every  infelicity  of  character  or  of 
conduct  is  to  be  regarded  as  an  occasion  for  disci- 
plinary labor.  Great  wisdom  and  discretion  are 
needed  in  order  to  judge,  both  when  such  labor  shall 
be  attempted,  and  how  it  shall  be  directed. 

Note  5. — There  are  in  most  churches  certain  persons  with 
so  keen  a  scent  for  defects  in  others,  and  with  such  a  stern, 
almost  relentless,  sense  of  judicial  orthodoxy  in  matters  of 
order,  that  they  are  always  finding  somebody  who  deserves 
to  be  disciplined.  These  severe  censors  of  their  brethren 
never  seem  so  much  at  home  as  when  actively  engaged  in 
bringing  to  justice  some  offender.  Then  they  appear  at  their 
best.  They  are  probably  honest  and  conscientious,  and  mean 
only  to  guard  the  purity  and  good  name  of  the  Church.  But 
they  need  watching  and  moderating.  Not  less  deplorable  is 
the  influence  of  those  who  are  opposed  to  all  disciplinary  ac- 
tion. 

Note  6. — In  judging  of  the  gravity  of  offenses,  the  con- 
dition in  which  the  offender  is  placed,  the  influences  under 
which  he  acts,  and  the  peculiar  provocations  that  affect  him. 


CHURCH    DISCIPLINE.  173 

are  to  be  considered.  One  man  may  be  much  more  guilty 
for  the  same  act  than  another,  since  he  may  have  had  fewer 
incentives  to  evil,  and  more  strength  to  withstand  temptation. 
All  palliations  should  have  due  weight. 

IV.  PRIVATE    OFFENSES. 

A  private  offense  has  reference  to  the  personal 
relations  of  individual  members.  It  may  not  be 
an  act  w^hich  scandalizes  the  Christian  name,  or 
^njures  the  Church  as  a  body;  but  an  injury  done 
•  >or  claimed  to  have  been  done — by  one  member 
\n  another,  intentionally  or  unintentionally,  by 
which  his  feelings  are  pained  or  in  some  way  he 
believes  himself  to  have  been  wronged  in  person, 
reputation,  or  estate.  The  offense  is  therefore 
personal,  and  the  matter  rests  between  those  two 
members  alone.  Except  that,  when  it  becomes 
known,  others  may  become  interested  in  it  or  af- 
fected by  it. 

So  long  as  such  matters  of  difficulty  are  treated 
as  personal  and  kept  private — that  is  between  the 
parties  themselves  concerned,  and  are  not  made 
public,  or  brought  to  the  notice  of  the  Church, 
they  are  reckoned  as  private  offenses;  but  when, 
in  any  case,  they  cannot  be  settled  privately,  they 
are  referred  to  the  Church  to  be  adjudicated,  then 
they  become  public  offenses. 

V.  THEIR   TREATMENT. 

The  course  of  treatment  in  all  cases  of  private 
offenses  is  the  one  prescribed  by  our  Saviour,  and 


174  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

to  be  found  in  Matthew  i8  :  15-17.  The  course 
there  prescribed  is  to  be  followed;  and  any  de- 
parture from  that  rule  is  itself  an  offense  deserving 
notice.  Also  any  deviation  from  it  would  modify 
subsequent  action  which  the  Church  might  take  if 
appealed  to  in  the  case.  This  course  consists  of 
three  steps,  and  the  final  results. 

First  step.  The  one  who  considers  himself  in- 
jured must  go  to  the  offender,  tell  him  his  cause 
of  grief,  and  between  themselves  alone  adjust  the 
matter,  if  possible,  and  settle  the  difficulty.  *'  If 
thy  brother  shall  trespass  against  thee,  go  and  tell 
him  his  fault  between  thee  and  him  alone;  if  he 
shall  hear  thee,  thou  hast  gained  thy  brother." 

Note  7. — It  is  thus  made  obligatory  on  the  injured  or  of- 
fended one,  to  go  to  the  offender,  and  not  the  reverse.  This 
is  wisely  ordained,  since,  although  the  offender  is  bound  by 
every  consideration  of  justice  to  go  to  the  offended  brother, 
and  confess  his  sin,  yet  possibly  he  may  not  be  aware  of  the 
evil  he  has  done,  or  he  may  be  so  perverse  and  evil-minded  as 
to  be  unwilling  to  do  justice  to  an  injured  brother.  But  the 
offended  one,  having  done  no  wrong  himself,  would  be  likely 
to  go  in  a  kindly  and  forgiving  temper  of  mind,  prepared  to 
"gain  a  brother."  Moreover,  for  him  to  take  the  initiative 
in  the  movement  would  be  likely  to  moderate  any  exaspera- 
tion he  might  feel  under  a  sense  of  wrong  suffered. 

Note  8. — This  rule  requires  that  the  interview  should  be 
between  themselves  alone.  No  other  persons  should  be  pres- 
ent, either  to  help  or  to  hinder,  or  to  spread  abroad  the 
knowledge  of  the  trouble.  No  fear  or  false  delicacy  must 
prevent  his  telling  the  offender  his  fault.  He  must  tell  it  to 
him,  but  to  no  one  else,  till  this  step  has  failed  to  effect  a 
reconciliation.    He  must  not  tell  it  in  the  presence  of  a  third 


CHURCH    DISCIPLINE.  I75 

person  ;  nor  must  he  plead  that  because  the  other  is  the 
oflfender,  therefore  the  first  step  must  be  taken  by  him.  And 
his  object  must  be  to  "gain  his  brother,"  not  to  humiliate, 
accuse,  or  condemn  him. 

Second  step.  If  the  previous  step  shall  fail  of  suc- 
cess, then  the  offended  one  must  take  one  or  two 
of  the  brethren  with  him.  Seek  another  interview 
with  the  offender  in  their  presence,  and  with  the 
aid  of  their  united  wisdom  and  piety  hope  to  suc- 
ceed where  he  himself  alone  had  failed.  He  is  not 
to  abandon  the  effort  with  the  failure  of  the  first 
step,  nor  throw  the  responsibility  of  further  effort 
on  the  offender.  **  But  if  he  will  not  hear  thee,  then 
take  with  thee  one  or  two  more,  that  in  the  mouth 
of  two  or  three  witnesses  every  word  may  be  estab- 
lished." 

Note  9. — The  offended  one  must  not  make  the  matter 
public  with  the  failure  of  the  first  attempt,  nor  must  he  aban- 
don it,  unless,  indeed,  he  has  "  gained  his  brother;"  nor  tell 
it  to  any,  except  the  "  one  or  two  more." 

Note  10. — The  object  of  taking  the  "one  or  two  more," 
is  chiefly  that  the  Church,  should  the  matter  come  before 
them,  may  have  witnesses,  and  not  depend  on  the  complain- 
ant, whose  testimony  very  likely  would  be  contradicted  by 
the  defendant.  They  could  witness  to  the  temper  and  spirit 
of  the  two,  and  to  the  facts,  so  far  as  ascertained.  More- 
over, they  could  act  as  mediators  between  the  parties,  and 
possibly  aid  in  a  friendly  adjustment  of  the  trouble,  without 
an  appeal  to  the  Church. 

Third  step.  Should  the  second  attempt  be*  in  like 
manner  unsuccessful,  and  no  reconciliation  be  ef- 
fected, then  the  offended  one  must  tell  the  whole 


176  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

matter  to  the  Church,  and  leave  it  in  their  hands  to 
be  disposed  of,  as  they  shall  judge  best.  His  per- 
sonal efforts  failed  ;  his  effort,  with  one  or  two  for 
witnesses  and  helpers,  was  unsuccessful  ;  he  has  but 
one  other  appeal;  that  is  to  the  Church.  And  this 
is  ultimate.  "  And  if  he  shall  neglect  to  hear  them, 
tell  it  unto  the  Church." 

Note  i  i. — Having  gone  so  far,  the  effort  to  gain  a  brother 
and  to  remove  an  offense  is  not  to  be  abandoned.  The  of- 
fended brother  is  not  to  say  he  is  sufficiently  vindicated  by 
the  witness  of  the  "  one  or  two  more,"  and  he  will  drop  the 
matter.  The  end  is  not  yet  gained.  The  influence  is  not 
salutary  on  either  of  the  brethren  nor  on  the  body,  to  leave 
it  incomplete.  The  Church  is  the  final  arbiter,  and  its  de- 
cision is  to  be  invoked.  The  matter  is  not  a  trifle  now,  even 
if  it  were  such  at  the  first;  let  the  voice  of  the  Church  be 
heard. 

Note  12. — When  told  to  the  Church  its  private  character 
disappears,  and  it  becomes  2.  public  offense,  to  be  treated  as 
such.  Both  parties  are  then  in  the  hands  of  the  body,  to 
await  and  abide  by  their  decision.  No  further  action  on  the 
part  of  either  is  to  be  expected,  except  for  the  offended  to 
make  his  statement,  and  the  offender  to  make  his  defense; 
as  to  both  of  which  the  "  one  or  two  more  "  are  witnesses. 

The  result.  The  Church  is  to  pass  the  final  sen- 
tence, after  a  full  and  fair  hearing  of  the  whole  case. 
There  is  no  higher  tribunal,  and  no  further  appeal. 
The  great  Head  of  the  Church  has  directed  what 
that  decision  shall  be,  if  the  offender  be  still  un- 
moved and  incorrigible.  The  object  all  the  way- 
through  is  to  "gain  a  brother."  Failing  in  this  he 
is  to  be  no  longer  a  brother.     As  he  will  not  show 


CHURCH    DISCIPLINE.  I77 

a  brother's  spirit,  and  will  not  act  a  brother's  part, 
he  is  to  be  removed  from  the  fellowship  of  the 
brotherhood.  ''  And  if  he  neglect  to  hear  the 
Church,  let  him  be  unto  thee  as  a  heathen  man  and 
a  publican." 

Note  13. — Let  it  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  mere  neglect 
to  hear  the  complainant,  brings  it  before  the  "one  or  two 
more,"  and  a  neglect  to  hear  the  "  one  or  two  more,"  brings 
the  matter  before  the  Church;  and  a  neglect  to  "hear  the 
Church"  ends  in  exclusion.  No  oflfensive  deportment,  no 
other  insubordination  to  authority,  no  vindictive  spirit  on 
the  part  of  the  accused,  is  necessary  to  secure  this  final  sen- 
tence, but  simply  a  "  neglect  to  hear."  That  becomes  a  re- 
fusal to  submit  to  lawfully  constituted  authority,  as  well  as  a 
violation  of  voluntarily  accepted  covenant  obligations  when 
admitted  to  its  fellowship. 

Note  14. — We  have,  in  this  language  of  our  Lord,  the  only 
time  and  place  where  He  is  recorded  to  have  spoken  of 
Church  action,  a  clear  and  explicit  recognition  of  the  author- 
ity and  independency  of  the  local  Church.  The  case  was 
not  to  be  appealed  to  any  priest  or  hierarch,  to  any  bishop 
or  presbytery,  to  any  council  or  conference  or  any  other  rep- 
resentative body;  but  to  "  the  Church,"  whose  decree  was  to 
be  final  in  the  case. 

Observe.  It  should  be  solemnly  impressed  on 
the  minds  of  pastors,  deacons,  and  every  member  of 
every  Church  that  the  preceding  course  for  the 
treatment  of  personal  difficulties  in  Church  relations 
was  prescribed  by  Christ  as  a  positive  law  for  His 
churches,  always  and  everywhere  ;  and  that  it 
abides  invested  with  all  the  sanctions  of  divine 
authority  ;  that  it  cannot  be  abrogated,  nor  de- 
parted from  with  impunity.  If  every  Church  would 
12 


178  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

require  a  strict  and  invariable  compliance  with  its 
requirements,  it  would  greatly  lessen  the  number  of 
personal  difficulties,  and  make  less  harmful  those 
which  are  inevitable.  On  pastors,  as  the  teachers 
and  leaders  of  the  churches,  largely  rests  the  re- 
sponsibility of  seeing  that  these  positive,  wise,  and 
salutary  provisions  are  complied  with. 

Note  15. — Let  it  be  repeated  with  emphasis  that  to  effect 
its  best,  its  true  results,  all  discipline  is  to  be  administered  in 
love  and  meekness — in  the  spirit  of  the  Master,  with  the  de- 
sire and  the  manifest  design  to  win  an  erring  brother  rather 
than  to  punish  an  offending  member. 

Note  16. — Although  the  divine  law  requires  that  the  of- 
fended shall  first  seek  the  offender,  yet  any  one  who  is  at  all 
aware  that  he  has  grieved  or  offended  another,  should  with- 
out delay  seek  the  aggrieved,  and  by  such  efforts  as  he  may 
be  able  to  make — explanations  and  acknowledgments — re- 
move, if  possible,  the  cause  of  grief.  Let  him  first  be  recon- 
ciled to  his  brother,  then  offer  his  gift.  Even  though  he  may 
claim  that  he  has  not  injured  his  brother,  yet  if  that  brother 
believes  he  has,  let  him  be  sure  to  remove,  if  possible,  such  an 
impression. 

Note  17.  —  If  a  member  attempts  to  bring  before  the 
Church,  or  in  any  other  way  make  public,  any  matter  of  pri- 
vate grief  or  offense,  before  he  has  fully  pursued  the  above 
course,  according  to  the  Gospel  rule,  he  makes  himself  an 
offender  thereby — subject  to  labor  and  discipline. 

Note  18. — If  members  become  involved  in  personal  diffi- 
culties, and  make  no  efiort  to  settle  or  remove  them,  or  if 
they  take  any  other  than  the  scriptural  course,  they  become 
themselves  offenders  against  the  Church,  and  subject  to  its 
discipline. 

Note  19. — When  personal  difficulties  are  known  to  exist, 
which  the  parties  themselves  cannot,  or  will  not  settle,  the 


.  CHtJRCM    DiSClPLiNE.  179 

officers  or  other  members  should  use  their  best  endeavors  to 
reconcile  them  privately,  and  avoid,  if  possible,  the  publicity 
of  bringing  them  before  the  Church. 

Note  20. — But  if  all  private  endeavor  fails  to  heal  such 
difficulties  the  case  should  be  taken  before  the  Church,  and 
treated  as  a  public  offense.  The  continuance  of  such  dis- 
turbing elements  is  greatly  injurious  to  the  prosperity  of  the 
body.  The  old  leaven  should  be  purged  out  that  the  body 
of  Christ  may  be  wholly  a  new  lump. 

Note  21. — There  may  be  instances  where  wrongs  are  per- 
petrated, but  the  member  who  is  wronged  is  unwilling  to  pur- 
sue any  course  of  labor  with  the  offender,  or  to  make  any 
complaint,  or  take  any  notice  of  it,  yet  the  Church,  knowing 
the  facts  and  considering  its  own  character  compromised  or 
its  welfare  periled  by  the  case,  may  find  it  necessary  to  take 
it  up  and  act  upon  it. 

Note  22. — When  a  member  refers  any  private  difficulty  to 
the  Church,  which  he  is  unable  to  settle,  he  should  then 
leave  it  entirely  in  their  hands,  and  be  satisfied  with  such 
disposition  as  they  may  think  wise  to  make  of  it;  neither 
complaining  of  the  result,  nor  attempting  to  prosecute  it 
further.* 

Note  23. — Nothing  can  properly  be  considered  a  reason- 
able cause  of  offense  or  just  ground  for  discipline,  but  what 
is  manifestly  contrary  to  the  Scriptures.  Members  may  see 
many  things  in  others  which  they  dislike — personal  idiosyn- 
crasies perhaps  offensive,  but  which  cannot  be  justly  con- 
sidered subjects  for  complaint,  or  ecclesiastical  censure. 
They  are  matters  for  Christian  forbearance,  to  be  endured, 
if  they  cannot  be  corrected  in  some  other  way. 

Note  24. — And  yet  should  one,  on  uniting  with  the 
Church,  understand  ingly  agree  to  covenant  pledges,  or  ad- 
ministrative regulations,  which  afterward  he  may  come  to 
regard  as  extra-scriptural  and  unpleasant,  he  must  still  sub- 
mit to  them  according  to  the  promise,  or  bear  the  discipline 
which  their  violation  imposes. 


l80  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY, 

Note  25. — Nothing  can  be  considered  a  just  and  reasonable 
cause  for  the  withdrawal  of  fellowship,  and  exclusion  from 
the  Church,  except  it  be  clearly  forbidden  in,  or  manifestly 
contrary  to,  the  Scriptures,  and  what  would  have  prevented 
the  reception  of  the  individual  into  the  Church  had  it  existed 
at  the  time  and  been  persisted  in.  Even  these  do  not  usual- 
ly lead  to  disfellowship,  providing  they  be  confessed  and  for- 
saken. 

VI.      PUBLIC    OFFENSES. 


A  public  offense  is  one  claimed  to  be  a  breach  of 
Christian  morals,  or  a  violation  of  covenant  faith 
or  duty.  It  is  not  an  offensive  act  committed  against 
an  individual,  of  which  that  individual  might  com- 
plain. It  is  an  injury  to  the  cause  of  piety,  a  scandal 
to  the  Christian  name  and  profession. 

In  such  a  case,  one  member  is  no  more  interested 
in  or  vi^ronged  by  it  than  another.  The  whole  body 
is  equally  concerned  and  equally  responsible.-  And 
while  the  *•  steps  of  private  labor  "taken  by  any 
member  in  such  a  case  would  be  appropriate,  and 
might  be  effective,  yet  it  is  obligatory  on  no  one 
more  than  another  to  take  them.  And  since  there 
is  a  natural  indisposition  to  do  it,  such  personal  ef- 
fort usually  goes  undone,  and  it  is  left  to  the  Church, 
or  its  official  members,  to  move  in  the  matter.  For 
instance,  if  it  be  credibly  reported  that  a  member  is 
addicted  to  intemperance,  or  profanity,  or  dishon- 
esty, or  if  he  have  departed  from  the  faith,  or  vio- 
lated the  order  of  the  Church  in  some  grave  matter, 
these   are    considered   general,  or   public    offenses, 


CHURCH    DISCIPLINE.  l8l 

since  in  no  sense   are   they  personal  or   private  in 
their  commission  or  bearing. 

VII.      THEIR   CHARACTER. 

It  would  be  impracticable  to  attempt  to  specify  all 
possible  occasions  when  labor  might  be  called  for  in 
this  line  of  irregular  Christian  conduct.  The  Church 
must  judge  each  individual  case  on  its  merits,  and 
decide  whether  discipline  be  needed,  and  if  so,  to 
what  extent.  But  in  the  Epistolary  writings  we 
have  not  only  a  watchful  disciplinary  supervision  of 
the  Church  enjoined,  but  various  occasions  for  the 
exercise  of  discipline  specified.  The  following  may 
here  be  mentioned  as  prominent : 

1.  False  Doctrine. 

Holding  and  teaching  doctrines  fundamentally 
false,  contrary  to  the  law  of  God,  as  understood  by 
the  body,  and  subversive  of  their  accepted  faith. 
"If any  man  preach  any  other  Gospel  unto  you, 
than  that  ye  have  received,  let  him  be  anathema." 
—Gal.  1:9.  "If  there  come  any  unto  you,  and 
bring  not  this  doctrine,  receive  him  not  into  your 
house,  neither  bid  him  God  speed." — 2  John  10. 

2 .  Disregard  of  A  uthority. 

When  a  member  refuses  to  submit  to  the  require- 
ments of  the  Church,  and  thus  becomes  insubordi- 
nate to  lawfully  constituted  authority.  '*  But  if  he 
neglect  to  hear  the  Church,  let  him  be  unto  thee  as 
a   heathen    man,    and    a   publican." — Matt.    18  :  17. 


l82  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

"  Now  we  exhort  you,  brethren,  warn  them  that  are 
unruly."— I  Thess.  5  :  14. 

3.  Contention  and  Strife, 

Where  a  member  is  factious,  foments  discords, 
stirs  up  strife  and  becomes  a  leader  of  party,  dis- 
turbing or  destroying  the  peace  and  harmony  of  the 
body.  "  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  mark  them  which 
cause  divisions  and  offenses  contrary  to  the  doc- 
trines which  ye  have  learned,  and  avoid  them." — 
Rom.  16  :  17.  '*  But  if  any  man  seem  to  be  con- 
tentious, we  have  no  such  custom,  neither  the 
churches  of  God."— i  Cor.  11  :  16 

4.  Immoral  Conduct. 

This  takes  a  wide  range  and  embraces  many  par- 
ticulars. Such  acts  and  practices  as  are  inconsist- 
ent with  the  honor,  rectitude  and  purity  which  the 
Gospel  inculcates  and  requires.  It  is  on  the  theory 
that  the  Christian  Church  must  have  a  higher  stan- 
dard of  moral  virtue  than  the  world  holds  essential. 
Otherwise  how  can  it  be  the  light  of  the  world  and 
the  salt  of  the  earth.?  "But  now  I  have  written 
unto  you,  not  to  keep  company,  if  any  man  that  is 
called  a  brother  be  a  fornicator,  or  covetous,  or  an 
idolater,  or  a  railer,  or  a  drunkard,  or  an  extortion- 
er, with  such  a  one,  no,  not  to  eat." — 1  Cor.   5:11. 

5.  Disorderly  Walk, 

Such  a  course  of  conduct  and  habit  of  life  as  brings 
the  Christian  profession  into  disrepute,  and  becomes 


CHURCH    DISCIPLINE.  183 

subversive  of  the  established  faith  and  good  order 
of  the  Church.  It  does  not  necessarily  imply  im- 
morality of  conduct.  "Withdraw  yourselves  from 
every  brother  that  walketh  disorderly,  and  not  after 
the  tradition  which  he  received  of  us." — 2  Thess. 
3:6.  "  There  are  some  which  walk  among  you 
disorderly,  working  not  at  all." — 2  Thess.  3:  11. 

6.  A  Covetous  Spirit. 

Cases  where  members  will  not  contribute  of  their 
means,  according  to  their  evident  ability  for  the 
support  of  the  gospel,  or  for  other  Christian  work; 
throwing  heavy  burdens  on  others,  of  which  they 
refuse  to  bear  their  proportion.  For  while  the 
Church  cannot  compel  liberality,  nor  dictate  what 
its  members  shall  give,  but  leaves  all  offerings  to  be 
free-will,  yet  liberality  is  required,  and  any  one  who 
refuses  to  share  an  equality  of  responsibility  while 
enjoying  an  equality  of  benefits,  exposes  himself  to 
reproof  and  discipline.  *'  For  this  ye  know,  that  no 
covetous  man,  who  is  an  idolater,  hath  any  inheri- 
tance in  the  kingdom  of  Christ." — Eph.  5:5.  "  If 
any  man  that  is  called  a  brother,  be  covetous,  with 
such  a  one  no,  not  to  eat." — i  Cor.  5:11. 

7.  Arrogant  Deportment, 

When  a  member,  in  a  spirit  of  arrogance  and 
pride,  assumes  authority,  and  affects  superiority,  un- 
dertaking to  domineer  and  rule  the  Church.  '*  I 
wrote  unto  the  Church,  but  Diotrephes,  who  loveth 
to  have  the  preeminence  among  them,  receiveth  us 


1 84  THE  NEW   DIRECTORY. 

not;    wherefore,  if  I   come,    I   will   remember   his 
deeds." — 3  John  9,  10. 

8.  Going  to  Law. 

The  going  to  law  with  brethren  "before  unbe- 
lievers," and  the  prosecution  of  fellow-members  at 
civil  tribunals,  instead  of  private  and  peaceable  arbi- 
tration ••  before  the  saints."  This  was  severely 
censured  by  the  Apostle,  and  deserves  to  be  made 
a  cause  of  discipline  in  every  Church  where  it  takes 
place.  ••  I  speak  to  your  shame  ;  brother  goeth  to 
law  with  brother,  and  that  before  the  unbelievers. 
Now,  therefore  there  is  utterly  a  fault  among  you, 
because  ye  go  to  law  with  one  another.  Why  do  ye 
not  rather  take  wrong  ?  Why  do  ye  not  rather  be 
defrauded?"— I  Cor.  6  :  5-7. 

Note  i. — Observe:  where  in  these  Epistolary  citations,  the 
churches  are  enjoined,  with  disorderly  walkers,  and  evil  per- 
sons, "  not  to  eat,"  the  evident  meaning  is  not  to  eat  with 
them  in  the  celebration  of  the  Supper.  Not  to  commune 
with  them.  And  when  it  is  said,  "from  such  withdraw  your- 
selves," reference  is  evidently  had  to  Church  fellowship,  and 
not  to  social  intercourse. 

Note  2. — The  Apostle  manifestly  did  not  purpose  to  give 
a  list  of  disciplinable  offenses,  and  those  cited  above  are  only 
such  incidental  cases  as  occurred  in  the  churches,  with  re- 
spect to  which  he  had  occasion  to  give  instruction.  But 
they  show  conclusively  two  things.  First:  that  purity  of 
faith  and  doctrine,  and  virtue  and  good  order  in  the  manage- 
ment of  Church  affairs,  were  matters  of  importance,  which 
they  needed  to  understand.  Second:  that  each  Church 
was  to  be  held  responsible  for  a  faithful  and  earnest  admin- 


CHURCH    DISCIPLINE.  185 

istraticn  of  its  government,  so  as  to  keep  itself  true  to  the 
law  and  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

Note  3. — Whatever  may  be  thought  of  the  relative  im- 
portance of  some  of  the  faults  of  Christian  character  men- 
tioned above,  as  compared  with  others,  and  still  others  that 
might  be  named,  they  are  all  blemishes  and  defects  which 
should,  by  a  judicious  treatment,  be  corrected;  they  con- 
stitute stumbling-blocks  to  unbelievers,  and  a  dangerous  ex- 
ample for  other  disciples.  They  be  all  evils.  Therefore  put 
away  the  evils,  or  the  evil-doers. 

VIII.      THEIR   TREATMENT. 

In  the  treatment  of  public  offenses,  the  proper 
course  of  labor  and  discipline  would  be  substantially 
as  follows  : 

It  must,  however,  be  borne  in  mind  that  various 
cases  have  some  peculiar  features,  and  require  pe- 
culiar treatments.  The  treatment  of  the  case  will 
therefore  vary  somewhat  with  the  circumstances. 
Those  who  have  the  direction  of  them  must  be  famil- 
iar with  the  general  principles  which  apply;  if  beyond 
these  some  way-marks  can  be  given, wise  and  prudent 
men  need  not  go  far  astray  in  their  arrangements. 

I.  The  first  member  who  has  knowledge  of  the 
offense  should,  the  same  as  in  private  cases,  seek 
the  offender,  and,  if  possible,  remove  the  diffi- 
culty. True,  he  is  under  no  special  obligation  to 
do  this  simply  because  he  chanced  to  be  the 
first  to  learn  the  fact.  But  if  he  can  win  a  brother 
from  his  evil  way,  and  remove  a  reproach  from 
the  Church,  such  would  be  a  work  of  faith  and 
a  labor  of  love,  with  which  any  Christian  might  feel 


1 86  THE  NEW  DIRECTORY. 

greatly  satisfied.  This  personal  labor  should  be  un- 
dertaken because  each  member  of  the  body  suffers 
in  any  wrong  inflicted  on  the  body,  and  because 
such  personal  efforts  are  often  the  most  effectual. 
Should  there  be  many  individual  efforts,  by  many 
members  at  the  same  time,  aiming  at  the  same  end, 
so  much  the  more  effectual  would  it  be. 

2.  But  if  no  one  can  or  will  pursue  this  course  of 
personal  private  labor,  or  if  such  a  course  should 
prove  unsuccessful,  then  should  the  one  who  has 
knowledge  of  it  consult  the  pastor  and  deacons — or 
if,  as  in  some  churches,  there  be  a  prudential  com- 
mittee for  such  purposes,  refer  it  to  them — and  leave 
it  to  their  judgment  as  to  what  further  course  should 
be  taken.  If  they  will  not  notice  the  matter,  this 
brother  could  bring  it  up  at  the  next  business  Church 
meeting.  But  even  then  it  would  be  well  not  to 
give  names  and  facts,  but  say  a  case  deserved  atten- 
tion, and  ask  that  a  committee  be  appointed,  to 
which  facts  would  be  referred.  All  such  cases  should 
be  kept  out  of  the  Church,  and  managed  privately, 
so  long  as  there  seems  hope  of  an  effectual  settle- 
ment by  that  means. 

3.  The  Church,  having  formal  knowledge  of  the 
matter,  would,  perhaps,  as  the  most  kindly  fraternal 
"first  step"  in  their  movement,  visit  him,  hear  his 
explanation  and  excuse,  and  ascertain  his  purpose 
in  the  case.  They  might,  indeed,  without  tran- 
scending the  limits  of  propriety,  at  once  cite  him 
before  the  body  to  answer  for  himself,  disprove  th^ 
charges,  or  make  his  defense. 


CHURCH    DISCIPLINE.  1 87 

But  this  course  at  the  beginning  seems  a  little 
more  judicial  and  harsh  than  the  visit  of  a  commit- 
tee, and  a  brother  "out  of  the  way"  might  not  ac- 
cept it  too  readily.  But  the  case  should  ultimately 
come  before  the  Church,  where  the  offender  shall 
know  the  charges,  hear  the  witnesses,  and  be  allowed 
to  answer  for  himself. 

4.  If  a  committee  act  in  the  case,  they  should  act 
in  the  name  of  the  Church,  and  with  their  authority; 
but  they  should  go  in  the  spirit  of  meekness  and 
love,  with  the  desire  uppermost  to  win  a  brother. 
If  the  offender  will  not  appear  before  the  Church, 
by  that  refusal  he  sets  its  authority  at  defiance,  and 
the  body  must  decide  how  long  they  will  bear  with 
his  insubordination.  If  he  be  so  situated  that  he 
cannot  appear  before  them,  they  must  depend  on 
the  report  of  a  committee,  and  act  according  to  their 
best  judgment  in  the  matter. 

5.  If,  in  any  case  of  discipline,  and  at  any  stage  of 
the  proceedings,  the  accused  brother  disproves  the 
charges,  or,  in  any  ordinary  case,  if  he  admits  them, 
confesses  the  wrong,  makes  suitable  acknowledg- 
ment and  reparation,  so  far  as  possible,  together 
with  promise  of  amendment,  this  should  be  deemed 
sufficient,  and  the  case  be  dismissed.  The  purity  of 
the  Church  is  vindicated,  its  authority  sustained,  and 
an  erring  brother  is  won  back  to  Christ,  and  to  the 
fellowship  of  His  people, 

6.  But  if,  after  patient,  deliberate  and  prayerful 
labor,  all  efforts  fail  to  reclaim  the  offender,  then, 
however  painful  the  necessity,  they  must  withdraw 


1 88  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

from  him  their  fellowship.  He  has  refused  to  hear 
them,  and  must  be  put  away.  With  such  a  one, 
**  no,  not  to  eat."  Better  to  lose  many  members 
than  that  the  government  and  good  order  of  the 
Church  should  be  prostrated  and  trampled  on  and 
its  good  name  become  a  by-word.  When  a  course 
of  discipline  has  been  inaugurated,  it  must  be  carried 
on  till  the  offender  is  reclaimed,  or  excluded. 

Note  4. — Any  one  tried  by  a  Church  should  be  allowed 
every  opportunity,  both  as  to  time,  place  and  circumstance,  to 
vindicate  himself.  The  very  justice  of  Christ's  house  should 
incline  to  mercy.  It  should  be  made  manifest  that  the  object 
is  not  to  punish,  but  to  reclaim. 

Note  5. — Every  person  so  tried  has  a  right  to  demand  and 
receive  copies  of  all  cha-ges  against  him,  the  names  of  the 
accusers  and  witnesses,  both  of  whom  he  shall  have  the  priv- 
ilege of  meeting  face  to  face,  hearing  their  statements,  bring- 
ing witness  on  his  side,  and  answering  for  himself  before  the 
Church  itself  as  the  ultimate  and  authoritative  tribunal. 

Note  6. — All  persons  on  trial,  or  having  been  excluded, 
have  a  right  to  receive  authenticated  copies  of  the  records  of 
all  proceedings  held  by  the  Church  in  their  cases. 

Note  7. — It  would  not  be  proper  for  a  member  on  trial  to 
bring  any  person  as  his  advocate  who  was  not  a  member  of 
the  body  to  plead  his  case,  without  special  permission  from 
the  Church  to  do  so.  The  whole  matter  pertains  to  the 
Church  alone,  and  outside  parties  have  no  right  of  inter- 
ference. Moreover,  it  would  be  strange  if  the  entire  body 
should  be  so  swayed  from  right  and  justice  as  not  to  give  any 
member  under  accusation  a  reasonable  hearing  and  an  equi- 
table treatment.  Such  a  case  might  be  possible,  but  would 
not  be  likely  to  occur. 

Note  8. — In  every  case  of  exclusion  the  charges  against 
the  member,  and  the  reasons  for  his  exclusion,  should  be 


CHURCH    DISCIPLINE.  1 89 

carefully  and  accurately  written  out,  and  entered  on  the  rec- 
ords of  the  Church,  the  excluded  member  to  receive  an  au- 
thentic copy  if  he  desires  it. 

Note  9. — It  is  customary,  also,  to  notify  the  individual  that 
fellowship  is  withdrawn  from  him  by  sending  him  a  copy  of 
the  reasons  for  the  final  action  in  the  case,  or  otherwise,  at 
the  option  of  the  clerk,  as  directed  by  the  body. 

Note  10. — The  Church  should  not  commence  disciplinary 
proceedings,  nor  even  entertain  a  charge  against  a  member, 
unless  the  evidence  be  such  as  to  make  the  truth  of  the 
charge  highly  probable,  if  not  absolutely  certain. 

Note  ii. — Offenses  may,  and  not  unfrequently  do,  occur, 
of  such  an  aggravated  character  as  to  require,  when  confessed 
or  fully  proven,  immediate  exclusion,  without  the  need  of 
further  labor,  and  notwithstanding  confessions,  penitence  and 
promises;  though  not  without  a  hearing.  No  temporizing  or 
delay  should  be  allowed,  but  the  Church  of  Christ  should 
show  the  world  that  it  will  not  shelter  in  its  bosom,  nor  hold 
in  its  fellowship,  gross  transgressors. 

Note  12. — Should  the  Church  at  anytime  find  that  it  has 
dealt  unjustly  with  a  member,  or  excluded  him  without  suf- 
ficient cause,  it  should  at  once  proceed,  of  its  own  accord, 
without  waiting  for  solicitation,  to  repair,  so  far  as  they  may 
be  able,  the  wrong  done,  and  by  concession  and  restoration 
make  it  apparent  that  they  are  as  ready  to  reverse  their  action 
when  they  see  it  was  wrong,  as  they  were  to  take  it  when 
they  believed  it  was  right. 

Note  i  3. — The  members  of  the  Church  should  be  impressed 
that  they  still  owe  a  duty  and  a  service  of  love  to  those  "  cut 
off."  They  have  once  been  among  them,  members  of  the 
family  and  brethren  beloved,  now,  though  wayward  and  un- 
worthy of  fellowship  because  of  their  errors,  yet  may  it  not 
be  hoped  that,  through  their  prayers  and  kindly  treatment, 
they  may  come  to  themselves,  repent  of  their  errors  and  seek 
again  their  Father's  house.  Follow  them  with  blessing;  they 
may  be  saved. 


190  tttE  NEW  DIRECTORY. 

Note  14. — ^The  Church  should  at  any  time  be  willing  to 
grant  a  rehearing  of  his  case,  if  requested  by  an  excluded 
member,  providing  he  gives  assurance  and  makes  it  appear 
probable  that  he  can  establish  his  innocence,  show  their  mis- 
take or  satisfy  them  by  his  acknowledgments. 

Note  15. — The  Church  should  restore  to  its  fellowship,  at 
his  request,  any  excluded  member  whenever  his  confession 
and  reparation  for  the  past  are  satisfactory  and  his  present 
walk  according  to  godliness. 

Note  16. — Pastors,  deacons,  and  all  officers  are  subject  to 
the  same  discipline,  administered  in  the  same  way,  as  other 
Church  members;  except  that  unusual  caution  should  be  had 
in  giving  credence  to  charges  that  lead  to  discipline,  accord- 
ing to  apostolic  injunction:  "Against  an  elder  receive  not 
an  accusation,  except  at  the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses. " 
— I  Tim.  5  :  19.  And  also  it  may  be  added,  that  considering 
the  prominent  position  they  occupy  and  considering  the  fact 
that  disciplinary  proceedings  in  their  case  may  have  a  more 
serious  effect,  both  on  themselves  and  on  the  cause,  than  in 
ordinary  cases,  therefore  unusual  caution  should  be  used  and 
perhaps  a  Council,  or  the  advice  of  wise  brethren  be  called 
in  aid.* 

Note  17. — In  all  things  not  contrary  to  his  conscience, 
the  member  should  submit  to  the  Church,  but  in  all  questions 
of  faith  and  conscience  he  should  do  what  he  honestly  be- 
lieves to  be  right,  whether  the  Church,  in  the  exercise  of  ad- 
ministrative function  should  commend,  or  condemn  him. 

Note  18. — While  on  the  contrary,  the  Church  as  an  exec- 
utive body  must  not  fail  to  exercise  its  legitimate  and 
rightful  authority,  and  discipline  its  members  for  what  it 
regards  as  sufficient  cause,  even  though  such  members  may 
think  the  discipline  unjust,  and  believe  themselves  injured 
by  it. 

*  The  discipline  of  accused  ministers  is  treated  at  length  in  the 
chapters  on  Councils. 


CttURCH    DISCIPLINE.  I9I 

Note  19. — No  one,  while  on  trial  before  the  Church,  can 
properly  accuse  or  bring  charges  against  another  member  as 
a  vindication  of  his  own  cause,  or  a  palliation  of  his  offense. 
His  own  case  must  be  first  decided  on  its  merits.  If  his 
offense  be  proven,  or  confessed,  no  accusation  of  others  can 
justify  it,  or  should  be  allowed.  But  any  legitimate  evidence 
can  be  adduced  in  his  own  favor,  even  though  such  evidence 
may  implicate  others. 

Note  20. — The  relation  of  the  pastor  to  persons  accused, 
and  to  processes  of  trial  before  the  body,  is  delicate  and  im- 
portant. He  is  not  to  act  the  partisan  for  or  against  the 
accused,  much  less  is  to  be  the  prosecutor  of  his  erring 
brethren.  He  is  to  be  judge  and  expounder  of  law  and  evi- 
dence; and  whatever  may  be  his  private  opinion,  he  is  to 
maintain  fairness  and  equity  on  all  sides  and  to  all  parties. 
As  moderator  of  the  meeting,  he  is  to  keep  all  parties  to 
good  order,  and  just  measures.  It  is  important  that  he  be 
familiar  with  parliamentary  rules,  and  with  the  principles  of 
scriptural  discipline,  so  that  the  results  reached  shall  com- 
mend themselves  to  the  reasonable  approval  of  all. 

Note  21. — The  pastor,  by  virtue  of  his  office,  is  moderator 
of  all  business  meetings.  But  in  cases  where  he  may  him- 
self be  personally  involved  in  the  difficulty,  or  charged  with 
complicity  in  it,  he  should  not  preside,  but  resign  the  chair 
and  allow  the  meeting  to  elect  some  one  else. 

Note  22. — The  pastor,  by  virtue  of  his  office,  is  moder- 
ator of  all  church  business  meetings,  but  not  of  society 
business  meetings,  which  meetings  are  held  according  to 
statute  law,  for  the  election  of  trustees  and  for  other 
matters  pertaining  to  temporalities.  These  meetings,  even 
though  composed  of  the  same  individuals,  yet  are  not  the 
same  official  bodies.  The  moderator  is  elected  on  nomina- 
tion. The  pastor  is  eligible  to  election  the  same  as  any 
other  member  of  the  society,  but  cannot  assume  the  chair 
by  right  of  his  office. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

UNUSUAL   DIFFICULTIES. 

In  the  maintenance  of  good  order,  and  the  ad- 
ministration of  equitable  discipline  in  a  Church, 
there  will  at  times  arise  cases  of  unusual  difficulty; 
cases  which  require  more  than  ordinary  wisdom  and 
prudence  to  manage  justly,  not  to  say  satisfactorily; 
not  so  much,  perhaps,  because  of  the  gravity  of  the 
offense,  as  because  of  the  persistency  of  those  con- 
cerned, the  complications  which  arise  in  the  prog- 
ress of  the  case,  the  party  spirit  which  may  be 
engendered,  and  possibly,  worst  of  all,  the  mistakes 
which  the  Church  itself  may  make  in  the  treatment 
of  the  matter.  These  mistakes  thus  give  the  culpable 
parties  occasion  to  complain  at  the  course  pursued, 
even  when  they  would  not  have  condemned  the 
final  issue  itself. 

I.      A   DIVIDED   CHURCH. 

It  is  probably  safe  to  say  that  two-thirds  of  such 
vexatious  cases  grow  out  of  misjudged  or  misman- 
aged discipline.  A  wiser  course  pursued  would,  in 
most  instances,  have  reached  a  just  and  a  peaceful 


UNUSUAL    DIFFICULTIES.  I93 

termination.  But  prejudice,  self-will,  and  heated 
passion,  make  partisans  contend  for  the  mastery, 
and  rend  the  body  of  Christ.  Our  churches  do  not 
have  too  much  discipline — indeed,  they  have  too 
little — but  it  is  often  so  unwisely  administered  as  to 
produce  more  evil  by  the  method  than  is  removed 
by  the  act.  It  may  be  too  much  influenced  by  per- 
sonal animosities,  by  a  party  spirit  engendered,  or 
by  ignorance  of  the  principles  according  to  which 
all  true  discipline  should  be  exercised. 

Such  proceedings,  even  when  instigated  by  suffi- 
cient provocation,  may  degenerate  into  a  mere 
party  or  personal  conflict  for  supremacy,  in  which 
leading  members  and  related  families  become  iden- 
tified, and  the  pastor  himself,  possibly,  involved. 
Alienations  are  produced,  bitter  feelings  engen- 
dered, and  discord  rends  the  Church.  The  example 
becomes  a  reproach,  bad  men  rejoice,  and  the  good 
are  grieved.  Injustice  has  most  likely  been  done  to 
some  one,  if  not  by  the  final  act,  yet  by  some  of  the 
passionate  and  ill-advised  proceedings  leading  to  it. 
Unable  to  harmonize  their  difficulties,  advice  from 
outside  is  sought,  a  Council  is  called  to  extricate 
them  from  the  difficulty.  Each  party  of  course  be- 
lieves itself  to  be  right,  and  as  firmly  holds  the 
other  to  be  wrong. 

All  that  a  Council  can  do  is  to  hear  patiently  the 

statements  of  all  parties,  corroborate,  or  disprove 

confused  assertions,  so  far  as  possible,  by  collateral 

testimony ;    sift  the   mass  of  excited   personalities 

from  the  vital  facts  and  the  underlying  principles 
18 


194-  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

involved ;  make  a  careful  digest  of  the  substance  of 
the  case,  what  and  where  they  judge  the  mistakes 
and  the  wrong  to  be,  and  advise  what  course  they 
think  the  parties  concerned  should  pursue.  The 
Council  has,  of  course,  no  power  to  enforce  its  de- 
cisions, to  impose  penalties,  or  to  compel  the  per- 
formance of  its  recommendations.  But  if  the  advice 
is  carefully  and  kindly  given,  and  seems  reasonable 
and  wise  in  itself,  public  sentiment  will  sustain  it, 
and  bear  with  a  heavy  moral  force  against  those 
who  reject  it. 

One  very  common  and  very  serious  difficulty  is, 
that  Councils,  when  called  for  such  purposes,  do  not 
usually  take  sufficient  time  to  thoroughly  under- 
stand the  case,  and  to  put  in  proper  form  their  find- 
ings. The  members  have  little  time  to  devote  to 
other  people's  troubles,  and  but  little  patience  to 
unravel  the  confused  tangle  of  personal  contentions 
which  have  run  through  months  and  years  of  con- 
flict. Hence  they  are  likely  to  hurry  through  the 
examination,  make  a  hasty  and  not  too  well-con- 
sidered report,  dismiss  the  case,  and  return  to  their 
homes.  The  report,  which  was  kindly  meant  to  be 
equitable  to  all  parties,  very  likely  will  not  be  ac- 
ceptable to  any,  and  the  conflict  will  continue. 

True,  a  similar  fruitless  issue  may  follow  the  most 
patient  and  considerate  action,  owing  to  the  perver- 
sity of  the  contestants  ;  yet  a  Council,  when  called 
for  advice,  should  give  all  the  time  and  care  which 
the  gravity  of  the  case  demands.  If  the  petty 
squabbles  of  misguided  good  men  and  women  do 


UNUSUAL    DIFFICULTIES.  I95 

not  deserve  so  much,  yet  the  peace  of  the  Church, 
the  cultivation  of  Christian  virtue,  and  the  honor  of 
the  Christian  name,  are  worthy  of  such  labor  for 
their  maintenance. 

The  Order  of  Proceedings. 

When  such  difficult  cases  are  to  be  investigated 
by  the  aid  of  a  Council,  the  order  of  proceedings 
would  be  substantially  as  follows  : 

1.  The  Council  is  to  be  organized  the  same  as  for 
other  purposes  by  the  election  of  a  moderator  and 
clerk  ;  by  prayer  for  divine  guidance  and  a  right 
spirit ;  by  the  preparation  of  a  list  of  messengers, 
showing  how  many  messengers  are  present,  and 
from  how  many  and  what  churches  they  come  ;  and 
then  by  a  distinct  statement  of  the  object  for  which 
they  are  convened.  This  statement  may  be  made 
by  the  moderator  or  by  those  who  have  called  the 
Council.  Usually  it  is  enough  to  read  a  copy  of  the 
letter  missive,  which  should  set  forth  the  object  of 
the  call.  This  object  must  be  kept  in  view,  and  not 
departed  from  during  the  proceedings.  No  foreign 
or  extraneous  matters  should  be  admitted  ;  nothing 
beyond  what  may  be  presented  as  evidence  or  for 
the  elucidation  of  the  main  question.  Of  the  rele- 
vancy of  such  matter  the  moderator  must  judge  ;  and 
if  his  decisions  be  doubted,  the  Council  must  decide 
by  a  vote. 

2.  Those  who  have  called  the  Council  will  then 
present  their  case  as  they  wish  it  to  stand  before 
the  body.     In  doing  this  they  will  pursue  their  own 


196  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

course  and  make  such  a  presentation  as  they  choose, 
embracing  statements,  documentary  evidence,  and 
the  testimony  of  witnesses.  In  doing  which  they 
should  not  be  interrupted,  except  that  questions  may 
be  asked  for  explanation  of  matters  not  understood. 

3.  If  it  be  a  mutual  Council  the  party  which  con- 
siders itself  aggrieved  and  seeks  redress,  will  pre- 
sent its  case  first  ;  a  full  statement  of  all  the  facts 
bearing  on  it,  with  the  testimony  of  witnesses  if  de- 
sired, and  documentary  evidence. 

4.  Following  such  a  presentation,  the  other  party 
will  make  their  statements  with  such  collateral  evi- 
dence as  they  desire  to  offer,  and  with  such  reply  to 
the  other  side  as  they  may  wish  to  give. 

5.  To  this,  a  rejoinder  of  the  first  party  may  be 
made,  with  explanations,  refutations,  and  new  evi- 
dence, if  any  be  had.  And  to  this  a  rejoinder  by 
the  second  party  is  allowed. 

6.  If  it  be  an  ex  parte  Council,  in  which  no  second 
party  appears,  there  will  of  course  be  no  rejoinders, 
but  the  chairman  or  members  will  ask  such  questions 
as  may  elicit  the  fullest  information,  and  present 
the  whole  case  clearly  to  the  minds  of  the  members 
of  the  body. 

7.  The  discussion  should  close  when  the  Council 
is  satisfied  that  all  the  facts,  in  their  proper  relations 
are  before  them,  so  that  they  fully  understand  the 
case  on  which  they  are  to  express  an  opinion. 

8.  No  discussion,  crimination,  or  contradiction 
between  the  parties  themselves  should  be  permitted. 
No   other  interruption   than   asking  or   answermg 


UNUSUAL    DIFFICULTIES.  197 

questions  for  information  should  be  allowed  by  the 
moderator  ;  otherwise  irritation  will  be  increased 
rather  than  allayed.  The  moderator  should  pro- 
tect all  parties  in  the  exercise  of  their  rights,  that 
the  simple  truth  may  be  reached. 

9.  It  would  not  be  in  accordance  with  usage,  nor 
consistent  with  the  principles  on  which  such  refer- 
ences proceed,  for  parties  in  difficulty  to  procure  the 
services  of  lawyers^  the  more  skillfully  to  present  and 
defend  their  course.  It  is  not  a  contest  before  a 
civil  tribunal  for  a  judgment,  but  a  confidential 
reference  to  brethren  for  advice.  There  could, 
however,  be  no  objection,  if  parties  deemed  them- 
selves unable  to  do  themselves  justice  in  the  pre- 
sentation of  their  case,  to  have  some  member  of  the 
Council  act  for  them  in  the  matter.  Or,  did  the 
Council  agree  and  no  party  to  the  difficulty  object, 
have  some  brother  outside,  whether  layman,  lawyer, 
or  minister,  perform  this  service.  No  person,  how- 
ever, outside  the  Council  and  the  parties  in  dispute, 
could  have  any  right  to  appear  before  the  body  in 
advocacy.  If  they  so  appear  at  all  it  would  be  only 
by  permission  of  the  Council  and  of  the  parties 
calling  it. 

10.  As  the  single  object  in  statement  and  discus- 
sion should  be  the  attainment  of  truth,  by  the  as- 
certainment of  facts,  therefore  the  technicalities  of 
legal  proceedings  in  secular  courts  need  not  be  re- 
garded, but  parliamentary  rules  should  be  observed, 
and  good  order  strictly  maintained  through  all  the 
proceedings. 


198  THE    NEW   DIRECTORY. 

11.  When  all  the  evidence  is  in,  and  all  the  facts 
are  supposed  to  be  understood,  it  is  voted  that  the 
case  be  closed,  the  parties  retire — spectators  too,  if 
such  be  present- — and  the  Council  goes  into  private 
session  for  deliberation.  Or  the  Council  itself  may 
retire  to  some  convenient  place  for  deliberation,  all 
others  remaining  if  they  so  desire. 

12.  In  private  session  there  is  a  free  and  full  dis- 
cussion of  the  subject ;  perhaps  the  moderator  sums 
up  the  case  by  presenting  in  condensed  form  the 
various  points  which  constitute  its  substance.  If 
there  be  any  forgetfulness  of  facts,  the  parties  can 
be  recalled  to  repeat  their  statements.  Then  a 
committee  may  be  appointed  to  embody  the  results 
of  their  deliberations  in  certain  resolutions.  This 
expression  of  opinion  is  sometimes  called  th.^  find- 
ings  of  the  Council,  and  is  twofold,  as  containing  : 
I.  The  substance  or  result  of  the  investigation  as 
they  understand  it  ;  2.  The  opinion  expressed  as 
to  the  merits  of  the  case,  embracing  the  advice 
given  to  the  parties  asking  counsel. 

13.  It  would  seem  proper  that  in  making  up 
these  findings,  no  statement  or  resolution  should 
be  adopted  except  by  a  unanimous  vote,  though 
of  course  a  majority  vote  would  carry  any  ques- 
tion. 

14.  When  the  work  is  completed  the  parties  are 
called  in  and  the  moderator  announces  the  result  by 
reading  the  statement.  This  statement,  when  once 
made  on  the  basis  of  facts  as  presented,  is  under- 
stood not  to  be  subject  to  revision  or  change.    And 


UNUSUAL     DIFFICULTIES.  I99 

yet  it  is  supposable  that  a  case  might  occur  where 
facts  or  evidence  had  clearly  been  misapprehended, 
and  the  findings  might  and  should,  by  unanimous 
consent,  be  modified  accordingly.  But  this  could 
not  be  done  after  the  Council  had  finally  ad- 
journed. A  Council  ceases  to  exist  on  final  ad- 
journment. 

15.  It  is  usual  to  give  the  parties  calling  a  Council 
authenticated  copies  of  the  proceedings  and  the  re- 
sults reached;  and  also,  if  desired,  to  order  their 
publication. 

16.  If  the  proceedings  be  in  the  nature  of  a  trial 
of  some  person  or  party  before  the  Council,  who  may 
be  called  on  to  answer  to  an  accusation,  or  to  re- 
fute charges  made,  then  the  accused,  as  in  all  other 
cases  of  trial,  must  have  copies  of  all  charges,  with 
specifications,  including  times  and  places  and  names 
of  witnesses,  served  on  him  sufficiently  long  before 
the  trial  to  allow  him  full  opportunity  for  prepara- 
tion to  answer  for  and  defend  himself  before  the 
body. 

The  foregoing  statements  cover  the  ground  for 
the  treatment  of  difficult  cases  of  discipline  in  all 
ordinary  circumstances  where  outside  help  becomes 
needful.  Extraordinary  cases  develop  peculiar  fea- 
tures, which  must  be  judged  by  general  principles 
and  the  good  sense  of  advisers  called  to  consult.  It 
must  be  presumed  that  those  called  upon  for  ad- 
vice, whether  Council  or  Reference,  are  impartially 
disposed  to  ascertain  the  facts,  and  to  act  in  kind- 
ness and  equity  toward  all  concerned. 


200  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

II.      AN  EXCLUDED   MEMBER. 

Another  frequent  occasion  for  dissension  and  strife 
in  the  churches,  leading  to  protracted  conflict,  and, 
most  likely,  to  the  calling  of  a  Council,  is  that  of 
excluded  members.'*'  Such  disfellowshiped  mem- 
bers very  commonly,  and  perhaps  very  naturally, 
believe  themselves  to  have  been  unfairly  dealt  with, 
and  unjustly  excluded.  This  feeling  is  the  more 
likely  to  be  entertained  if  they  have  occupied  a 
prominent  position  in  the  Church,  and  if  the  disci- 
plinary course,  which  finally  led  to  exclusion,  was 
protracted  and  exciting.  Then  it  is  likely  to  be  re- 
garded as  the  act  of  a  hostile  party,  and  not  of  the 
Church,  as  such — the  result  of  passion,  and  not  an 
act  of  justice. 

Now,  while  the  presumption  is,  that  in  such  cases 
the  Church  was  right  in  its  action,  and  the  individ- 
ual was  justly  disfellowshiped,  the  fact  may  be,  and 
sometimes  evidently  is,  that  the  action  of  the  Church 
has  been  ill-judged  and  unjust,  and  the  individual 
has  good  cause  for  complaint.  This  is  most  likely 
to  occur  where  the  exclusion  is  the  issue  of  a  pro- 
tracted dissension  between  contending  factions, 
maintained  by  headstrong  leaders  and  partisan  ad- 
herents. Moreover,  it  is  sometimes  true  that,  while 
the  individual  justly  deserved  discipline,  and  possi- 

*What  has  been  already  said  in  the  preceding  pages  might 
apply  to  the  case  of  excluded  members  as  treated  in  this  section- 
But  in  this  case  there  arise  some  peculiar  features  not  presente</ 
in  the  other. 


UNUSUAL    DIFFICULTIES.  201 

bly  exclusion  even,  on  the  merits  of  his  case, 
yet  the  manner  in  which  the  case  was  managed, 
and  the  method  by  which  the  result  was  reached, 
were  improper,  ill  -  considered,  and  unjust  to 
him. 

For  these  reasons,  if  for  no  others,  an  excluded 
member  has  a  right  at  least  to  lay  his  grievance  be- 
fore a  Council,  and  ask  such  relief  as  their  opinion 
and  advice  may  afford.  If  it  were  not  so,  and  if,  as 
some  have  absurdly  claimed,  an  excluded  person 
should  not  be  allowed  the  right  of  calling  a  Council, 
then  such  prohibition  must  be  urged  on  the  ground 
either  that  the  Church  could  do  no  wrong,  or  else 
that  an  excluded  member  should  have  no  redress 
for  wrongs  inflicted  by  unjust  Church  action;  both  of 
which  suppositions  are  monstrous. 

Church  independency  and  personal  liberty  are 
both  to  be  conceded  and  defended.  If  any  man  be- 
lieves himself  to  have  been  wronged,  he  has  the 
inalienable  and  unquestioned  right  to  lay  his  griev- 
ances before  any  man  or  any  number  of  men,  and 
ask  their  opinion  and  advice.  When  a  Church  has 
excluded  a  member,  their  connection  with  him  and 
control  over  him  ceases.  They  have  no  further 
right  to  say  what  he  shall  or  shall  not  do,  nor  what 
others  shall  or  shall  not  do  respecting  him.  And 
for  churches  or  ministers  to  enter  into  a  compact, 
formal  or  implied,  that,  because  he  is  an  excluded 
man,  they  will  not  even  hear  his  statement,  nor  give 
advice,  would  be  the  most  intolerable  religious  tyr- 
anny— especially  for  liberty-loving  Baptists.     Such 


202  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

a  proscription  would  approach  the  anathema  of 
papal  excommunication. 

A  Church  may  exscind  a  member  judged  unwor- 
thy of  further  fellowship,  after  due  process  of  disci- 
plinary law;  but  having  cut  him  off,  they  cannot 
continue  to  hold  the  rod  in  terror  over  him,  and  bar 
him  from  the  counsel,  and  even  from  the  sympathy 
of  others,  simply  on  the  ground  of  their  action.  And 
they  ought  to  be  ashamed  of  themselves  if  in  any 
wise  they  attempt  to  follow  him  with  maledictions 
after  they  have  cast  him  out. 

While,  therefore,  the  presumption  is,  that  the  ac- 
tion of  the  Church  in  his  exclusion  has  been  just 
and  right,  the  possibility  is  that  it  may  have  been 
unjust  and  oppressive.  And  such  a  possibility  en- 
titles the  individual  to  a  hearing  before  unprejudiced 
brethren,  should  he  so  desire — not  being  able  to 
find  relief  in  any  other  way. 

What  Causes  Invalidate  Church  Action  ? 

Since  a  Church  may  err,  and  invalidate  its  action 
of  exclusion  by  irregular  and  unjust  methods  of  pro- 
cedure in  discipline,  as  well  as  for  insufficient  cause 
in  exclusion  ;  we  may  inquire,  what  are  the  more 
common  mistakes  in  processes  of  discipline,  which 
would  invalidate  such  action  and  give  a  member, 
thus  disfellowshiped,  good  reason  to  complain  of 
injustice  done  to  himself.? 

I.  He  might  complain  that  his  exclusion  was  for 
insufficient  cause,  even  though  the  proceedings  in 
the   case   were    orderly  and   fair.     The    Church,  of 


UNUSUAL    DIFFICULTIES.  203 

course,  would  hold  a  different  opinion  ;  therefore, 
those  who  undertook  to  advise  him  would  need  to 
know  the  facts  as  the  Church  understood  them,  in 
order  to  advise  discreetly. 

2.  It  might  be  claimed  that  no  first  steps  had 
been  taken  by  those  whom  he  had  offended,  in  case 
his  offense  was  a  personal  one.  No  matter  of  per- 
sonal difficulty  should  be  brought  before  the  Church 
until  the  aggrieved  member,  who  brings  the  charge, 
shall  first  have  faithfully  pursued  the  course  pre- 
scribed by  our  Saviour  in  the  eighteenth  of  Matthew. 
Whoever  fails  to  follow  this  direction,  makes  him- 
self an  offender  and  subject  to  discipline  for  so  doing. 

3.  The  Church  may  have  acted  on  his  case  with- 
out having  furnished  him  with  a  copy  of  the  charges 
or  having  allowed  him  opportunity  to  hear  the  wit- 
nesses against  him,  or  sufficient  opportunity  to  de- 
fend himself.     All  this  would  be  unfair. 

4.  Final  action  on  his  case  may  have  been  taken 
on  some  unusual  occasion,  at  some  other  than  the 
proper  meeting  for  hearing  such  cases,  and  without 
due  notice  to  him  that  his  case  would  be  then  acted 
on  and  decided. 

5.  There  may  have  been  refusal  or  failure  to  give 
full  opportunity  for  defense  before  the  Church,  as  a 
body,  rather  than  before  the  officers  or  some  commit- 
tee, privately.  It  is  the  right  of  each  member,  when 
accused,  to  defend  himself  in  the  presence  of  the 
whole  Church  before  he  is  condemned  by  it. 

Other  irregularities  might  occur,  but  the  above 
named  are  such  as  are  most  likely  to  take  place. 


204  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

W/tat  Course  Shall  He  Pursue  ?  ' 

It  would  be  a  piece  of  very  great  folly  for  every 
excluded  member,  exasperated  at  what  he  thinks 
unfair  treatment,  to  undertake  immediately  to  pre- 
cipitate a  Council  in  the  hope  that  they  will  right 
his  wrongs,  and  antagonize  the  Church  on  his  be- 
half. There  are  certain  preliminary  steps  which 
good  order  requires  him  to  take  to  justify  the  calling 
of  a  Council  for  his  relief. 

What  Are  These  Preliminary  Steps  f 

1.  He  should,  after  a  little  time,  and  when  the 
heat  of  excitement  has  died  down,  make  an  appeal 
to  the  Church  for  a  re-hearing  of  his  case.  In  do- 
ing this  he  should  give  his  reasons  for  claiming  that 
he  did  not  have  a  fair  trial,  and  that  he  was  unjustly 
judged.  If  a  new  hearing  should  be  granted,  with 
the  opportunities  he  claims,  then  he  must  submit  to 
the  results.  If  the  new  hearing  should  be  granted, 
but  with  similar  irregularities  as  at  first,  then  he  is 
left  in  the  same  attitude  as  at  the  end  of  the  first 
trial.     If  a  re-hearing  be  refused,  then  : 

2.  He  should  request  them  to  unite  with  him  in 
calHng  a  mutual  Council  to  which  the  case  may  be 
submitted.  If  this  request  be  granted,  he  will  have 
the  selection  of  one-half  of  the  Council.  Whatever 
the  result  of  such  a  reference  may  be,  it  would  be 
unwise  for  him  to  prosecute  the  matter  any  further. 
At  any  rate,  the  action  of  a  Council  so  convened 
must  be  very  extraordinary  to  justify  him  in  any 
further  attempts  at  self-vindication.     If  this  request 


UNUSUAL    DIFFICULTIES.  205 

for  a  mutual  Council    be  declined  by  the  Church, 
then  : 

3.  He  might  present  himself  to  some  other 
Church  and  request  to  be  received  to  its  fellowship 
on  his  experience,  as  an  excluded  member,  giv- 
ing them  all  the  facts.  The  Church  thus  appealed 
to  might  think  it  wise  to  call  a  Council  to  advise 
them  as  to  the  propriety  of  receiving  a  member  ex- 
cluded from  a  sister  Church.  Should  they,  how- 
ever, see  fit  to  receive  him — as  they  would  have  an 
undoubted  right  to  do  without  a  Council  —  that 
would  dispose  of  the  case,  giving  him  Church  stand- 
ing and  fellowship  again,  and  he  would  have  no 
occasion  to  pursue  the  matter  further.  And  should 
this  be  done,  the  Church  which  excluded  him  could 
have  no  just  ground  for  complaint.  One  Church  has 
the  same  right  to  take  a  man  in  as  another  has  to 
put  him  out.  But  should  the  Church  appealed  to, 
for  any  reason,  decline  to  receive  him  or  to  call  a 
Council,  then  ; 

4.  He  might  with  propriety — and  it  would  be  his 
undoubted  right  to  do  so,  as  the  only  further  step 
toward  redress  —  call  an  ex  parte  Council,  before 
which  the  whole  case  could  be  laid  ;  both  as  to  his 
trial  and  exclusion  and  as  to  his  subsequent  efforts 
for  reconciliation.  Of  course  he  should  be  ready  to 
place  before  the  Council,  when  convened,  all  the 
facts  and  evidence  needed  to  justify  his  course  in 
having  called  them  together. 

5.  Any  one  thus  calling  a  Council  should  have  a 
clear  and  definite  idea  of  what  it  can  and  what  it 


2o6  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY, 

cannot  do.  Otherwise  he  may  be  much  disap- 
pointed in  the  result.  He  must  not  expect  a  Coun- 
cil to  right  all  his  wrongs,  fancied  or  real,  to  redress 
all  his  grievances,  or  to  punish  the  Church  for  what 
he  believes,  or  even  they  may  think,  misjudged  and 
unjust  action  in  his  case.  The  functions  of  a  Coun- 
cil not  h^ing  judicial  J  but  advisory  only,  they  can, 
at  most,  only  express  an  opinion  on  the  merits  of 
the  case,  and  give  him  advice.  Even  the  expres- 
sion of  an  opinion  on  the  merits  of  the  case  they 
may  withhold,  but  some  advice  they  are  bound  to 
give  ;  it  was  for  that  purpose  they  were  called,  and 
accepted  the  invitation  to  sit  as  counselors.  The 
moral  effect  of  their  opinion  and  advice  constitutes 
the  only  vindication  or  condemnation  they  have  the 
power  to  pronounce. 

III.      AN   ACCUSED   MINISTER. 

One  of  the  most  grave  and  difficult  cases  of  dis- 
cipline which  is  likely  to  arise  to  vex,  and  possibly 
to  divide  a  Church,  is  that  of  a  minister  who  has  lost 
public  confidence,  and  who,  by  unchristian  or  unmin- 
isterial  conduct,  is  believed  to  be  unfit  to  discharge 
the  functions  of,  or  to  remain  in,  the  sacred  office. 
No  case  occurs  where  churches  more  need  the 
wise  and  prudent  advice  of  others,  or  where  a 
Council  finds  a  more  legitimate  field  for  its  friendly 
offices  than  this. 

Great  caution  should  be  exercised,  even  in  giv- 
ing heed  to  unfavorable  reports  against  a  minister 


UNUSUAL    DIFFICULTIES.  20^ 

of  the  gospel.  Christ's  anointed  ones  should  not 
be  touched  with  unholy  hands.  The  Apostle  wisely- 
decreed  that,  '*  Against  an  elder,  receive  not  an 
accusation  except  at  the  mouth  of  two  or  three 
witnesses." — i  Tim.  5  :  19.  Charges  which  impli- 
cate their  moral  or  ministerial  character  should  not 
be  entertained,  only  on  very  strong  evidence.  Their 
position  is  a  very  delicate  one.  Called  by  profes- 
sional duties  into  almost  all  sorts  of  company, 
and  placed  in  well-nigh  all  kinds  of  positions,  evil- 
minded  persons  can,  if  disposed,  excite  suspicions 
against  them  on  the  most  trivial  occasions.  They 
themselves  are  bound  to  exercise  perpetual  vigi- 
lance and  care,  while  their  reputation  and  good 
character,  on  which  their  comfort  and  usefulness 
so  much  depend,  should  be  sacredly  guarded  and 
defended.  But  their  sins  should  not  be  covered 
when  they  deserve  exposure,  nor  should  they  escape 
discipline  when  they  merit  it. 

Such  cases  are  important  and  difficult,  because: 
First — Of  the  high  position  and  wide  influence  of 
a  minister,  and  the  fact  that  he  stands  before  the 
public  as  an  example  of  godliness,  a  religious  teacher 
and  leader  of  the  people.  If  he  proves  himself  an 
unworthy  man  his  case  becomes  more  a  reproach 
and  scandal  to  religion,  and  more  an  obstacle  to 
the  progress  of  truth  than  if  he  were  a  private  mem- 
ber of  the  Church.  The  purity  of  the  ministerial 
character  and  the  honor  of  the  Christian  profession 
must  be  vindicated. 

Second — A  minister's  character  and  good  name 


208  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

must  be  held  sacredly  and  dealt  with  tenderly,  since 
they  are  his  richest  possessions,  and  usually  all  he 
has  as  a  means  of  usefulness,  for  the  maintenance  of 
a  respectable  position  in  society,  or  the  continued 
support  of  himself  and  family  with  the  ordinary  com- 
forts of  life.  When  these  are  gone,  all  of  worldly 
worth  is  gone.     They  must  not  be  trifled  with. 

FACTS   TO   BE   KEPT   IN    MIND. 

In  dealing  with  such  a  case,  therefore,  unusual 
caution  should  be  exercised  ;  and  there  are  few 
churches  so  strong,  so  wise,  so  well-balanced  and 
self-contained  that  it  would  be  prudent  to  proceed 
to  extremities  without  calling  a  Council,  or  in  some 
way  securing  outside  aid  and  advice. 

In  the  calling  of  such  a  Council  the  following  facts 
are  to  be  kept  in  mind: 

1.  As  in  all  other  cases,  it  must  be  accepted  that 
Baptist  Councils  are  advisory  only,  and  never  au- 
thoritative. They  are  called  to  give  advice  to  those 
who  have  called  them — advice  based  on  their  knowl- 
edge of  the  merits  of  the  case,  after  having  care- 
fully examined  it. 

2.  Neither  ministers  nor  others  can  organize 
themselves  into  a  Council,  nor  can  they,  self-moved 
and  unasked,  call  one  for  the  trial  of  a  minister 
whose  presence  may  be  unwelcome  to  them,  and  in 
whose  character  they  may  have  no  confidence. 
Such  cases  have  occurred;  but  such  an  act  is  a  gross 
outrage  on  personal   rights  and  Church  independ- 


UNUSUAL    DIFFICULTIES.  209 

ericy,  as  well  as  a  violation  of  Baptist  polity,  by  an 
unlawful  assumption  of  authority. 

3.  A  Council  called  to  advise  in  matters  relating 
to  the  trial  of  an  accused  minister  can  only  be 
called  by  a  Church;  and  by  that  Church  of  which 
such  minister  is  a  member.  Any  other  Church 
could  call  a  Council  to  advise  them  what  course 
they  ought  to  take  in  respect  to  the  fellowship  of 
a  Church  which  persisted  in  sustaining  a  pastor 
whom  they  believed  unworthy.  A  party  in  a 
Church — even  a  very  small  party  —  might  call  a 
Council  to  advise  them  as  to  their  duty,  if  their 
Church  were  sustaining  a  minister  in  whom  they 
had  no  confidence;  but  in  neither  of  these  cases 
could  a  Council  try  or  pronounce  judgment  on  the 
character  of  the  man  himself.  They  were  not  con- 
vened for  that  purpose.  They  could  only  advise 
those  who  called  them,  as  to  their  duty  in  the 
premises. 

4.  A  Council,  having  no  ecclesiastical  authority, 
cannot  be  called  to  /rj,  and,  if  found  guilty,  to  de- 
pose a  minister.  Judicial  acts  belong  to  a  Church, 
and  not  to  a  Council;  nor  can  a  Church  transfer  its 
authority  for  the  exercise  of  judicial  functions  to  any 
other  body.  A  Council,  in  order  to  express  an  opin- 
ion and  give  advice,  is  asked  to  examine  all  the 
facts,  consider  all  the  circumstances,  sift  and  weigh 
the  evidence  on  all  sides,  the  accused  having  full 
opportunity  to  defend  himself.  In  a  modified,  but 
not  in  a  judicial  sense,  it  may  be  called  a  trial  of 
the  accused:  because  it  is  a  search  for  the  merits  of 

14 


210  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

the  case,  by  an  investigation  of  all  the  facts,  and  a 
sifting  of  all  the  evidence. 

5.  The  minister  on  whose  case  his  Church  may 
call  a  Council,  is  not  obliged,  and  cannot  be  com- 
pelled, to  appear  before  such  a  Council,  or  in  any 
way  submit  his  case  to  them.  He  is  amenable  to 
the  Church  alone.  But  it  is  his  right  to  appear  be- 
fore them,  have  copies  of  all  charges,  hear  all  testi- 
mony, examine  witnesses,  and  answer  for  himself. 
And  usually  it  is  better  for  him  to  take  this  course 
than  to  stand  upon  his  reserved  rights,  and  treat  a 
Council  with  disregard.  The  presumption  is,  that  a 
company  of  Christian  men  will  judge  impartially  on 
the  evidence  placed  before  them.  And  though  this 
presumption  may  not  always  be  justified,  it  is  better 
for  one  to  meet  all  charges  frankly,  and  all  accusers 
face  to  face,  than  to  seem  to  evade  an  investigation 
of  matters  laid  against  him. 

6.  There  is  no  absolute  necessity  inherent  in  the 
case  itself,  for  the  calling  of  a  Council  in  the  disci- 
pline or  trial  of  a  minister.  If  done  at  all,  it  is  done 
for  expediency,  and  not  from  necessity ;  for  order 
and  safety,  and  not  for  authority.  But  because 
many  churches  are  weak  as  to  numbers,  and  inex- 
perienced in  the  treatment  of  difficult  matters,  be- 
cause, in  serious  and  complicated  disciplinary  pro- 
ceedings, there  is  likely  to  be  much  irritation  and 
impetuosity,  when  even  good  men  are  too  much 
influenced  by  party  zeal  and  prejudice — therefore  it 
is  wise  to  call  in  the  experienced,  prudent  and  im- 
partial,  for   advice.     Such   advice   will   invest   the 


UNUSUAL    DIFFICULTIES.  211 

Church's  final  action  with  weight,  and  give  the  pub- 
lic greater  assurance  of  its  equity  and  justice. 

7.  In  most  cases  of  the  kind,  where  a  Council  is 
resorted  to,  it  is  best  to  make  it  a  tnutual  Council, 
by  agreement  between  the  Church  and  the  accused. 
He  would  then  have  the  privilege  of  selecting  one- 
half  the  members.  If  this  be  not  done,  and  the  re- 
sult be  unfavorable  to  him,  he  will  be  almost  sure, 
with  the  advice  of  friends — for  he  will  have  friends 
— to  call  another  to  counteract  the  influence  of  the 
first,  and  to  place  his  case  in  a  more  favorable  light 
before  the  public. 

8.  After  the  investigation  has  closed,  and  the 
Council  rendered  its  opinion  and  advice,  the  Church 
will  take  such  action  as,  in  view  of  all  the  facts,  may 
be  deemed  wise  and  right.  They  are  not  obliged 
to  follow  the  advice  given.  The  Council  has  no 
power  to  enforce  its  recommendations,  and  should 
have  no  desire  to  do  it.  The  responsibility  of  the 
final  action  lies  with  the  Church.  But  the  advice 
given  would  naturally  constitute  an  important  factor 
in  their  final  decision.  It  would  require  very 
weighty  reasons  to  justify  a  Church  in  disregarding 
the  judgment  and  advice  of  a  Council  of  its  own 
selection.     Such  a  case  would  seldom  occur. 

The  Church's  Final  Action. 

9.  The  final  action  of  a  Church,  as  to  an  ac- 
cused minister,  may  take  any  one  of  the  following 
forms : 

a.  That  of  an  acquittal;  where  no  fault  worthy  of 


212  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

further  consideration  was  proven  against  him;  the 
charges  were  not  sustained,  and  he  is  pronounced 
innocent. 

b.  That  of  admonition;  indiscretions  which  caused 
reproach  and  hindered  his  usefulness,  having  been 
shown ;  suspicions  being  excited,  the  enemies  of 
religion  had  occasion  to  magnify  his  faults  to  the 
injury  of  the  cause  of  truth.  To  caution  and  ad- 
monish him  to  greater  circumspection  may  be  all 
which  the  case  requires. 

c.  That  of  a  withdrawal  of  fellowship  from  him 
as  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  with  a  declaration,  that 
in  their  opinion  he  is  unworthy  of,  and  unfit  to  con- 
tinue in,  the  ministerial  office.  This  may  be  done, 
and  the  man  still  be  retained  in  the  fellowship  of  the 
Church  as  a  private  member.  There  may  be  faults 
which  would  disqualify  him  for  the  exercise  of  a 
public  ministry,  which  might  not  unfit  him  for  pri- 
vate membership.  Such  an  act  of  disfellowship  as 
a  minister,  would  virtually  be  an  act  of  deposition 
from  the  sacred  office,  so  far  as  any  act  of  Church 
or  Council  could  depose  him. 

d.  That  of  the  withdrawal  of  fellowship  from  him 
as  a  Church  member ;  thus  excluding  him  from  the 
body.  This,  accompanied  with  a  declaration  of  his 
unworthiness  as  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  constitutes 
the  final  and  utmost  act  of  the  Church's  disciplinary 
power,  in  such  a  case.  They  can  do  no  more. 
This  puts  him  out,  and  deposes  him  from  the  minis- 
try, so  far  as  any  human  power  can  depose  him.  It 
also  clears  the  Church  from  any  further  responsi- 


UNUSUAL    DIFFICULTIES.  21 3 

bility  as  to  his  character  or  conduct.  His  disfel- 
lowship  as  a  member  adds  emphasis  to  his  disfellow- 
ship  as  a  minister. 

To  the  above-named  acts  a  Council  may  advise  ; 
but  the  acts  themselves,  to  be  valid  and  of  any  force, 
must  be  the  acts  of  the  Church  and  not  of  the  Coun- 
cil. It  would  be  an  impertinent  assumption  for  a 
Council  to  attempt  such  an  exercise  of  ecclesiastical 
authority. 

Shall  A  nother  Council  Follow  ? 

10.  If  the  final  action  of  the  Church — based  on 
the  advice  of  a  Council — be  unfavorable  to  the  min- 
ister on  trial,  and  result  in  his  degradation,  or  ex- 
clusion, he  will  very  likely  think  that  still  greater 
injustice  has  been  done  him,  and  seek  relief  by  call- 
ing another  Council.  If  the  former  was  a  mutual 
Council,  in  the  calling  of  which  he  had  part,  and  to 
which  he  consented  to  commit  the  case,  it  would  be 
extremely  unwise  for  him  to  prosecute  the  matter 
further — except,  indeed,  in  very  extraordinary  cir- 
cumstances. If  the  former  were  an  ex  parte  Coun- 
cil, called  by  the  Church  without  his  concurrence, 
there  would  be  more  occasion  for  him  to  call 
another,  especially  if  so  advised  by  wise  and  pru- 
dent friends.  It  certainly  would  be  his  right  to  do 
so,  should  he  be  disposed.  But  the  fewer  Councils 
the  better.  It  is  quite  as  well  to  suffer  for  want  of 
them  as  to  suffer  by  means  of  them. 

Should  he  decide  to  call  another,  three  rules 
should  be  observed  in  reference  to  it : 


214  "^^E   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

a.  He  should  invite  the  Church  to  unite  with  him, 
and  make  it  a  mutual  Council,  in  whose  judgment 
all  parties  might  acquiesce.  Nor  should  he  hesitate 
to  do  this,  because  the  Church  had  hitherto  refused 
similar  requests  from  him.  To  repeat  the  request 
would  put  his  case  in  a  better  attitude  before  those 
who  might  be  called  to  consider  it. 

b.  Have  the  Council  larger  than  the  previous  one, 
and,  if  possible,  more  marked  for  wisdom  and  ex- 
perience. Some  would  advise  that  such  a  Council 
should  be  composed  of  new  men  entirely,  since 
those  on  the  previous  Council  had  already  judged 
the  case,  and  could  hardly  re-judge  it  with  impar- 
tiality. Others  would  advise  that  it  be  composed 
largely  of  the  same  members,  with  such  additions 
as  might  counteract  any  local  or  personal  prejudice 
that  might  previously  have  existed.  And  this  would 
seem  a  wise  course. 

c.  Such  new  Council,  when  convened,  should  con- 
fine its  action  strictly  to  the  object  for  which  it  was 
called.  It  should  not  attempt  to  traverse  the  ac- 
tion, either  of  the  Church,  or  of  the  previous  Coun- 
cil, and  should  consider  them  only  so  far  as  to  obtain 
information,  in  order  that  they  may  justly  and  wisely 
form  an  opinion  and  impart  advice. 

By  such  a  course  the  action  of  councils  will,  so 
far  as  practicable,  prove  conservative  and  salutary, 
vindicating  the  right,  and  giving  furtherance  to 
equity  and  truth. 

Note  i. — A  Council  possessing  no  ecclesiastical  authority 
can   neither  make  nor  unmake   a  minister.     No   Council, 


UNUSUAL    DIFFICULTIES.  215 

therefore,  can  put  a  man  out  of  the  ministry.  All  it  can  do, 
is,  to  declare  him,  in  their  opinion,  unfit  for,  and  disqualified 
to  remain  in,  the  ministry,  and  that  they  cannot  fellowship 
him  as  a  minister;  and  they  can  add  the  advice,  that  the 
Church  exclude  and  depose  him. 

Note  2. — Though  all  ecclesiastical  authority  resides  in  a 
Church,  yet  a  Church  cannot,  in  any  absolute  sense,  depose, 
and  put  a  man  out  of  the  ministry,  except  so  far  as  that  min- 
istry relates  to  themselves.  They  can  depose  him  from  being 
their  minister,  and  declare  him,  in  their  opinion,  unworthy 
to  fill  the  sacred  office.  But  any  other  Church  can  have  hin?. 
for  their  minister,  if  they  so  desire,  since  each  Church  is  en- 
tirely independent  as  to  the  choice  of  its  pastor  and  the 
management  of  its  internal  affairs. 

Note  3. — Such  action,  however,  on  the  part  of  councils 
and  of  churches,  though  having  no  power  to  compel  silence, 
or  to  enforce  penalties,  substantially  effects  the  same  end, 
through  the  force  of  public  sentiment.  This  will,  sooner  or 
later,  lead  an  unworthy  man  to  retire  from  the  ministerial 
calling. 

Note  4. — A  Church  might  declare  a  man  unfit  for  the 
ministry,  and  depose  him  from  the  office,  and  yet  retain  him 
in  its  fellowship  as  a  private  member.  His  ministerial  rather 
than  his  Christian  character  being  involved  in  the  discipline. 

Note  5. — If  a  minister  be  excluded  from  the  fellowship  of 
a  Church,  such  exclusion  is  equivalent  to  a  deposition,  so  far 
as  Church  action  can  effect  a  deposition.  For  if  he  be  not 
worthy  of  Church  fellowship,  he  surely  is  not  worthy  to  hold 
the  office  and  discharge  the  functions  of  a  Gospel  minister. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

CHRISTIAN   WORSHIP. 

Religious  faith  expresses  itself  both  in  worship 
and  in  work.  In  such  acts  of  religious  service  as 
may  declare  the  soul's  devotion  to  the  Deity,  and  in 
such  works  as  are  believed  to  be  pleasing  to  Him, 
and  such  as  naturally  grow  out  of  the  faith  cherished, 
and  correspond  to  the  worship  offered. 

Worship,  properly  speaking,  is  adoration  and 
praise  offered  to  God.  The  emotion  is  instinctive  in 
a  devout  soul  and  tends  to  exalt  and  magnify  Him 
to  whom  all  honor  and  glory  are  due.  It  is  offered 
in  view  of  the  glorious  excellency  of  the  divine 
character ;  and  also  because  of  what  God  has  done 
for  men.  Both  for  what  He  is,  and  for  what  He 
does.  Worship  is  usually  attended  with  confession 
for  sin  and  with  supplication  for  pardon  and  needed 
grace.  It  is  an  important  duty  and  a  gracious 
privilege.  But  no  act  of  devotion  can  be  acceptable 
to  Him,  unless  it  be  spontaneous  and  sincere.  If  it 
be  such,  He  delights  in  it  and  accepts  it  with  pleas- 
ure from  His  creatures.  Its  influence  on  individual 
piety,  on  the  Church's  spiritual  life,  and  on  the 
moral  sense  of  the  community,  is  not  sufficiently 
understood  nor  highly  enough  valued. 

3X6 


CHRISTIAN    WORSHIP.  21/ 

While,  strictly  speaking,  it  is  defined  within  nar- 
row bounds,  yet  in  ordinary  language  all  religious 
service  is  spoken  of  as  worship.  All  recognize  the 
Divine  Presence  as  the  inspiration  of  devotion  and 
the  object  of  veneration.  The  various  parts  of  pub- 
lic and  social  worship  claim  brief  attention. 

I.      THE   PREACHING   SERVICE. 

As  public  religious  service  is  usually  arranged  by 
evangelical  Churches  generally,  preaching  holds  a 
foremost  place  and  the  service  is  secondary.  With 
a  liturgical  Church  it  is  different.  There  the  service 
rules,  and  preaching  is  largely  subordinate.  Preach- 
ing, strictly  speaking,  is  not  worship,  though  calcu- 
lated to  inspire  and  assist  worship.  Preaching  is  a 
proclamation  of  truth,  not  an  address  to  the  Deity. 
The  preacher  is  a  herald  {kerux),  a  proclaimer,  and 
his  address  {kerugmd),  a  message  delivered  to  an 
audience. 

I.    The  Object  of  Preaching. 

The  true  object  and  design  of  preaching  is  the 
salvation  of  sinners  and  the  edification  of  the  saints 
by  means  of  instruction  and  persuasion.  Instruction 
may  properly  be  said  to  be  the  first  object  of  preach- 
ing. Most  emphatically  it  is  not  to  entertain  or 
recreate  an  audience  ;  nor  to  crowd  the  house  with 
hearers,  nor  to  build  up  wealthy  and  fashionable 
congregations  ;  nor  to  rent  pews  and  replenish  the 
treasury;  nor  to  teach  literature,  science,  or  art;  but 


2l8  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

to  save  and  sanctify  souls  by  an  exhibition  of  Christ 
erucified.  All  preaching  which  fails  of  this,  fails  of 
its  chief  design.  For  this  purpose  our  Lord  **  gave 
some  to  be  pastors  and  teachers,  for  the  perfecting 
of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for  the 
edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ." — Eph.  4  :  11,  12. 

And  the  Apostle's  ministry  was,  **  Warning  every 
man,  and  teaching  every  man,  in  all  wisdom,  that 
we  may  present  every  man  perfect  in  Christ  Jesus." 
— Col.  I  :  28.  There  are  occasions  which  press  the 
minister  of  the  cross  very  sorely  to  diverge  from,  if 
not  altogether  to  forget,  this  high  aim  of  his  calling, 
and  adapt  his  efforts  to  draw  admiring  and  curious 
crowds  to  his  ministry.  And  for  this  purpose, 
themes  not  Gospel  and  not  even  strictly  religious, 
may  be  resorted  to.  But  viewed  from  the  low 
ground  of  expediency  even,  this  is  a  mistake. 
Preachers  who  hold,  longest  and  strongest,  the  con- 
sciences and  the  confidence  of  the  community,  and 
who  command  the  most  respectful  attention  of 
the  people,  are  those  who  are  loyal  to  the  truth  as 
it  is  in  Jesus. 

2.    The  Character  of  Preaching. 

All  preaching  to  be  profitable  should  be  plain  and 
simple  in  style,  spiritual  in  tone,  experimental  and 
practical  in  substance.  The  very  basis  and  founda- 
tion of  every  sermon  should  be  instruction.  In  the 
arrangement  of  the  matter,  order  should  be  so  mani- 
fest that  the  parts  will  follow  each  other  by  a 
natural   sequence,  so  that  the  minds  of  the  hearers 


CHRISTIAN    WORSHIP.  219 

will  ^a'/f.ly  Comprehend  their  relations.  As  to  the 
style,  i^lewncss  is  of  the  first  importance.  The 
speaker  is  not  preaching  in  an  unknown  tongue, 
and  every  sentence  and  word  should  be  so  trans- 
parent in  its  meaning  that  none  can  misunderstand. 
A  mere  jumble  of  words,  a  heap  of  figures  and  of 
flowers  are  as  chaff  compared  with  these  qualities. 
All  the  arts  of  oratory  and  the  adornments  of 
rhetoric  poorly  compensate  for  the  absence  of  trans- 
parent clearness. 

Nevertheless,  with  these  qualities  possessed,  the 
more  interesting  and  attractive  the  preaching,  in 
style,  matter,  and  manner,  the  more  welcome  and 
useful  it  is  likely  to  prove.  And  every  preacher 
should  strive  to  become  as  attractive  and  useful  to 
the  people  as  possible.  There  would  be  poor  com- 
fort in  saying  a  sermon  was  good,  if  the  style  were 
such  as  to  make  it  incomprehensible,  or  the  manner 
of  its  delivery  such  as  to  make  it  repulsive.  With 
these  drawbacks  it  certainly  would  not  be  good  for 
its  purpose.  Every  preacher  should  **  study  to 
show  himself  approved  unto  God,  a  workman  that 
needeth  not  to  be  ashamed." — 2  Tim.  2:15.  Many 
sermons,  in  themselves  really  good,  would  be  far 
more  effective  were  the  manner  of  their  delivery 
more  intelligible,  animated,  and  impressive. 

3.    The  Frequency  of  Preaching, 

According  to  established  customs  in  religious 
society,  it  is  expected  that  in  our  places  of  public 
worship,  two  sermons  will  be  regularly  preached  on 


220  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

each  Sunday.  Formerly  it  was  customary  to  have  a 
lecture  —  a  somewhat  informal  sermon  —  on  some 
evening  during  the  week.  Special  and  protracted 
preaching  services,  daily  or  nightly,  are  often  held 
during  seasons  of  unusual  religious  interest  or  to 
produce  unusual  interest. 

In  primitive  times,  as  now  on  mission  fields,  preach- 
ing was  less  formal  and  more  pervasive.  Itwas*' daily, 
from  house  to  house,"  '*  instant  in  season  and  out  of 
season,"  that  people  might  by  any  means  hear  the 
glad  tidings  of  salvation.  Now,  congregations  or- 
dinarily require  too  much  preaching  in  proportion  to 
the  more  social  services  of  religion.  So  far  as  the 
Church  members  and  the  stated  congregation  are 
concerned,  it  is  questionable  if  any  better  arrange- 
ment for  Sunday  service  than  the  following  could  be 
devised  ;  viz.,  a  sermon  in  the  morning,  the  very 
best  the  preacher  is  able  to  produce  ;  a  Bible  class, 
and  Sunday-school  service  in  the  afternoon,  and  a 
prayer  and  conference  meeting  in  the  evening,  so 
arranged  as  to  be  animated  and  attractive. 

In  our  cities,  towns,  and  larger  villages,  the  Sun- 
day evening  congregation  is  largely  different  from 
that  of  the  morning,  consisting  to  a  great  extent,  of 
a  floating  population,  with  but  few  of  the  Church 
families,  and  to  a  considerable  extent  made  up  of 
young  people.  Of  course  it  is  not  thought  be'^t  to 
abandon  preaching  for  that  service.  To  meet  this 
tendency,  not  a  few  preachers  have  held  very  loosely 
the  evangelical  character  of  their  evening  services, 
and  instead  of  Gospel  themes,  have  treated  semi- 


CHRISTIAN    WORSHIP.  221 

secular  and  otherwise  alien  subjects  to  catch  the 
drifting  current.  This  is  a  great  mistake  ;  for  no 
subjects  can  be  so  attractive  in  a  Church  service  as 
simple  Gospel  themes,  if  rightly  presented.  It 
would  seem  that  music  should  have  a  larger  place 
in  evening  than  in  morning  worship. 

Considering  the  necessities  of  the  world,  and  that 
men  perish  perpetually  without  the  gospel,  those 
called  to  that  sacred  work  should  *'  Preach  the 
word ;  be  instant  in  season,  out  of  season ;  reprove, 
rebuke,  exhort,  with  all  longsuffering  and  doctrine." 
— 2  Tim.  4  :  2. 

Note  i. — Though  no  fixed  rule  can  be  adopted  for  the 
length  of  sermons,  yet  when  the  Sunday  is  crowded  with 
services,  as  it  usually  is,  that  should  not  be  protracted. 
Ministers  are  not  usually  complained  of  for  long  sermons  un- 
less they  be  uniformly  long.  If  it  be  only  occasional  it  is 
borne.  Some  discourses  require  more  time  than  others,  and 
some  will  be  listened  to  with  more  interest  and  patience  than 
others.  Seldom,  however,  should  one  consume  more  than 
forty  minutes,  and  the  entire  service  should  be  something  less 
than  an  hour  and  a  half  on  all  ordinary  occasions. 

Note  2. — Very  unreasonable  objections  are  at  times  made 
to  doctrinal  preaching.  It  is  a  little  doubtful  whether  those 
who  object  really  know  what  doctrinal  preaching  is.  In  fact, 
doctrine  is  the  very  essence  and  marrow  of  the  Gospel,  and 
little  instruction  in  godliness  can  be  imparted  without  doc- 
trine. It  is  the  framework  of  the  building  where  edification 
— upbuilding — is  enjoined  as  the  special  duty  of  the  religious 
teacher.  No  doubt  doctrine  can  be  preached  so  abstractly 
and  uninterestingly  as  to  be  a  burden  to  the  hearers. 

Note  3. — Should  manuscripts  be  used  in  the  pulpit,  or 
should  sermons  be  extemporaneous  in  manner,  are  questions 


222  THE  NEW  DIRECTORY. 

which  the  preacher  must  decide  for  himself.  Opinions  differ. 
The  excellency  or  usefulness  of  a  sermon  does  not  largely  de- 
pend on  either  method.  Some  subjects  cannot  be  accurately 
treated  without  writing.  Moreover,  writing  is  an  important 
aid,  and  an  invaluable  mental  discipline  to  the  preacher.  It 
helps  him  to  think  systematically  and  to  express  himself  con- 
cisely and  forcibly.  But  for  all  ordinary  occasions  of  preach- 
ing it  cannot  be  doubted  that  an  extemporaneous  style  of 
address  is  most  in  accordance  with  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel, 
and  more  agreeable,  forcible,  and  profitable  to  the  congre- 
gation. 

Note  4. — The  great  temptation,  however,  to  extempora- 
neous preachers — especially  if  they  have  large  facility  in  the 
use  of  language — is  to  neglect  the  preparation  of  their  ser- 
mons and  depend  on  the  inspiration  of  the  occasion.  This 
temptation,  if  yielded  to,  becomes  fatal  to  both  the  reputa- 
tion and  the  usefulness  of  the  preacher. 

Note  5. — Sermons  need  not  be  read  ^v^n  though  they  be 
written.  Nor,  if  a  manuscript  be  used,  need  the  manner  of 
address  be  servile  and  lifeless.  Some  ministers  are  as  free, 
animated,  and  vigorous  in  using  a  written  sermon  as  others 
are  who  never  wrote  one.  The  trouble  is  not  with  the  manu- 
script, but  with  the  manner  of  using  it. 

Note  6. — Perhaps  no  better  advice  could  be  given  on  this 
subject  than  that  one  written  and  one  extemporaneous  ser- 
mon should  be  prepared  and  preached  each  Sunday.  Two 
well-prepared  and  well-written  sermons  each  week,  with  the 
\nany  pastoral  duties  and  the  many  interruptions  incident  to 
a  minister's  position,  will  prove  a  severe  tax  on  his  time  and 
energies,  or  an  utter  impossibility. 

Note  7.— Probably  no  more  effective  method  could  be 
adopted  than  for  the  preacher  to  write  his  sermon  carefully, 
then  make  a  brief  abstract  or  skeleton  for  use  in  the  pulpit, 
leaving  his  manuscript  at  home.  He  would  thus  largely 
combine  the  advantages  of  a  written  style  with  the  freedom 
and  force  of  an  extemporaneous  delivery. 


CHRISTIAN    WORSHIP.  223 

Note  8. — Above  all  things,  let  the  preacher  have  some- 
thing to  say  ;  know  what  it  is  ;  be  thoroughly  penetrated 
with  the  importance  and  the  spirit  of  it  ;  then  say  it  earnestly 
and  devoutly  as  an  ambassador  of  Christ,  to  do  the  people 
good.     The  Spirit  will  help  his  infirmities. 

II.      THE   PRAYER   SERVICE. 

Prayer  is  an  important  element  in  all  religious 
service.  Not  only  is  it  vital  to  the  individual  Chris- 
tian life,  its  importance  in  social  religion  is  scarcely 
less  important.  **  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you  ; 
seek,  and  ye  shall  find  ;  knock,  and  it  shall  be 
opened  unto  you,"  vv^as  the  positive  declaration  of 
our  Lord  to  His  disciples. — Matt.  6  :  7. 

There  are  special  blessings  promised  to  united 
prayer,  as  vi^ell  as  to  personal  prayer.  "  If  two  of 
you  shall  agree  on  earth,  as  touching  anything  that 
they  shall  ask,  it  shall  be  done  for  them  of  my 
Father  vi^hich  is  in  heaven." — Matt.  18  :  19.  Secret 
prayer,  and  personal  communion  alone  with  God, 
is  essential  to  the  soul's  spiritual  life,  and  is  encour- 
aged by  the  promise  of  special  blessing.  "  But  thou, 
when  thou  prayest,  enter  into  thy  closet,  and  when 
thou  hast  shut  thy  door,  pray  to  thy  Father  which 
is  in  secret;  and  thy  Father  which  seeth  in  secret 
shall  reward  thee  openly." — Matt.  6  :  6. 

Prayer  adjusts  itself  in  form  to  the  various  oc- 
casions which  demand  its  exercise,  but  in  spirit  it  is 
essentially  everywhere  the  same.  The  pastor's 
prayer  before  his  congregation  would  speak  for  them 
as  well  as  for  himself,  and  would  be  different  from 


224  THE  NEW  DIRECTORY. 

his  prayer  in  his  own  study,  at  the  family  altar,  in 
the  sick-room,  with  a  penitent  sinner,  or  with  a  dy- 
ing saint.  An  intelligent  faith  will  adjust  its  form 
to  the  peculiar  circumstances  in  which  it  is  called 
forth.  The  prayer  before  the  sermon  would  natu- 
rally be  somewhat  different  from  that  at  its  close. 
If  the  petitioner  have  the  true  spirit  of  supplication, 
the  petition  will  take  on  suitable  language  for  its 
expression.     The  form  will  need  to  give  no  anxiety. 

1.  The  motive  of  prayer. — Prayer  includes  wor- 
ship in  its  strictest  sense.  He  who  prays  is  sup- 
posed to  shut  out  the  world,  and  become  insensible 
to  aught  else,  while  he  communes  with  God.  It 
includes  adoration,  confession,  thanksgiving  and 
petition.  In  its  narrower  sense  prayer  is  supplica- 
tion {precari — to  beseech,  to  supplicate);  making 
request  for  needed  blessings  on  behalf  of  the  wor- 
shiper, and  other  objects  of  divine  clemency.  The 
intercession  of  Christ  must  evermore  be  recognized 
as  the  only  prevailing  influence  with,  and  cause  of 
blessing  from,  the  Father.  ''Whatsoever  ye  shall 
ask  the  Father  in  my  name,  He  will  give  it  you." — 
John  i6  :  23.  While  the  office  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
must  be  relied  on  as  the  only  means  of  communica- 
tion with  the  Throne  of  Grace  by  the  merits  of 
Christ.  "  For  we  know  not  what  we  should  pray 
for  as  we  ought;  but  the  Spirit  Himself  maketh  in- 
tercession for  us,  with  groanings  which  cannot  be 
uttered."— Rom.  8  :  26. 

2.  Preparation  for  Prayer. — There  needs  to  be  a 
preparation  for  prayer,  in  order  to  lead  profitably 


CHRISTIAN    WORSHIP.  22$ 

the  devotions  of  others  in  addresses  to  the  mercy 
seat.  Not  a  preparation  of  words,  but  of  the  heart; 
not  a  forethought  of  phrases  for  that  particular  occa- 
sion, but  a  spirit  in  harmony  with  the  divine  fulness 
and  a  felt  necessity  for  the  blessings  sought.  He 
who  would  have  the  preparation,  when  in  the  pulpit, 
must  obtain  it  before  he  goes  there.  **  He  that  Com- 
eth to  God  must  believe  that  He  is,  and  that  He  is 
a  rewarder  of  them  who  diligently  seek  Him." — 
Heb.  II  :  6.  **  But  let  him  ask  in  faith,  nothing 
wavering." — James  i  :  6.  "Praying  in  the  Holy 
Ghost." — ^Jude  20. 

To  make  prayers  and  to  pray,  are  very  different 
things.  Anyone  can  make  a  prayer,  who  can  com- 
mand the  use  of  language;  but  to  pray,  the  soul 
must  commune  with  God.  There  is  constant  dan- 
ger that  prayers  offered  in  the  pulpit  will  become 
stereotyped  and  monotonous,  so  constantly  are  they 
repeated,  and  under  circumstances  so  almost  ex- 
actly similar.  The  best  preventive  is  a  fervent  spirit, 
and  a  deep  sense  of  the  need  of  divine  assistance. 

3.  Style  of  Prayer. — While  prayer  is  not  to  be 
measured  and  meted  out  by  mechanical  rules,  nor 
subjected  to  the  rigid  canons  of  logic  or  rhetoric, 
yet  the  petitioner  is  not — ordinarily,  at  least — be- 
yond a  self-conscious  sense  of  certain  proprieties, 
which  even  prayer,  as  a  public  or  social  exercise, 
should  not  transgress.  Nor  need  it  dampen  the 
spirit,  or  interrupt  the  flow  of  devotion,  to  regard 
those  proprieties.     Prayer  should  be  simple,  direct, 

and  brief     It  should  be  so  simple  in  style  that  all 
15 


526  The  new  directory. 

in  the  assembly  can  intelligently  unite  in  it.  It 
should  be  direct  as  to  what  is  prayed  for,  and  not 
wander  over  all  possible  subjects,  seeking  nothing 
in  particular,  and  expecting  nothing  in  particular. 
It  often  seems  as  if  prayer  was  offered  in  public 
worship,  not  because  there  was  a  felt  need  of  it,  but 
because  it  is  the  prevailing  custom  to  pray  in  that 
particular  part  of  the  service. 

Prayers  should  be  brief :  of  course,  in  some  cases 
more  so  than  in  others.  There  is  no  excuse  for  the 
painful  length  of  what  is  called  *' the  long  prayer" 
preceding  the  sermon  in  the  case  of  many  clergy- 
men. In  fact,  the  *'long  prayer"  is  a  calamity,  to 
both  the  minister  and  the  people.  It  is  often  diffi- 
cult to  perform  it,  and  painful  to  endure  it.  Very 
largely  it  is  not  prayer  at  all,  but  a  religious  address, 
the  rather,  discursive  in  style  and  promiscuous  in 
matter.  If  it  could  be  confined  to  three  or  five  min- 
utes, the  "■  long  prayer  "  would  be  no  more,  and  pub- 
lic v/orship  would  gain  immensely.  But  the  tyranny 
of  estabHshed  usage  still  preserves  and  inflicts  it  on 
preacher  and  people  alike  without  compensation. 

Prayers  should  be  distinctly  uttered,  so  that  all 
can  understand  and  unite  in  them;  nor  should  there 
be  anything,  in  manner  or  expression,  so  peculiar  as 
to  divert  the  thoughts  of  hearers  from  the  devotion. 
Especially  should  not  the  petitioner  ''  use  vain  repe- 
tition as  the  heathen  do;  for  they  think  they  shall 
be  heard  for  their  much  speaking." — Matt.  6  :  7. 
Besides  which,  the  whole  style  and  manner  of  ad- 
dress should  be  penitential,  reverential,  and  digni- 


CHRISTIAN    WORSHIP.  21^ 

fied  withal,  savoring  of  meekness  and  humility,  as  is 
becoming  in  sinful,  helpless  creatures  when  ap- 
proaching a  holy  God.  All  flippant  familiarity  with 
the  sacred  names,  which  seems  an  affectation  of  un- 
usual piety,  should  be  avoided,  as  most  offensive  to 
sensible  minds. 

4.  Faults  in  Prayer. — It  may  seem  a  most  ungra- 
cious thing  to  criticise  so  sacred  an  exercise  as 
prayer  ought  to  be,  and  point  out  defects  which  not 
unfrequently  mar  its  excellencies.  The  one  pre- 
vailing defect,  no  doubt,  is  want  of  faith,  spirituality, 
and  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  But  these 
attach  to  all  Christian  exercises.  There  are,  how- 
ever, certain  defects  in  the  drift  of  prayer  —  more 
particularly  prayers  in  the  social  meetings  —  into 
which  the  pious  sometimes  unconsciously  fall,  which 
deserve  attention  and  correction. 

Preaching  Prayers^  in  which  Scripture  is  ex- 
plained, doctrine  expounded,  and  instruction  offered 
to  the  audience. 

Exhorting  Prayers^  where  warnings,  rebukes, 
and  exhortations  seem  addressed  to  classes,  or  in- 
dividuals, and  possibly  personal  sins  are  pointed  out. 

Historical  Prayers^  in  which  facts  and  incidents 
are  related,  from  which  inferences  and  arguments 
are  adduced.  Not  to  be  commended,  though  Da- 
vid, Solomon,  and  Ezra  indulged  in  them  on  very 
special  occasions. 

Oratorical  Prayers,  which  seem  framed  with  spe- 
cial regard  to  the  language,  as  if  intended  for  crit- 
ical ears. 


228  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Complimentary  Prayers,  where  the  excellencies 
of  persons  present  or  absent  are  effectively  dwelt' on, 
as  if  individuals  were  flattered,  rather  than  the  Deity- 
worshiped.  Clergymen  in  praying  for  each  other, 
on  public  occasions,  often  use  flattering  speech. 

Fault-finding  Prayers,  which  make  prominent 
the  real  or  fancied  faults  of  the  Church  or  of  indi- 
viduals, existing  difficulties  deplored,  advice  given, 
remedies  suggested,  or  rebukes  administered. 

All  such  things  should  be  avoided. 

THE  PRAYER-MEETING. 

The  Prayer-meeting  is  emphatically  a  Christian 
institution.  For  while  prayer,  as  a  religious  exercise, 
or  form  of  religious  service,  is  by  no  means  confined 
to  Christian  assemblies,  nor  indeed  to  Christian  life, 
yet  gatherings  for  social  worship,  chiefly  for  thanks- 
giving, suppHcation  and  song,  are  peculiarly  the 
outgrowth  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  In  saying  this, 
the  fact  is  not  overlooked  that  among  idolatrous 
and  barbarous  races,  even,  there  are  assemblies  for 
worship  constantly  recurring,  largely  and  enthusias- 
tically attended.  But  the  prayer-meeting  idea  does 
not  enter  into  the  purpose  or  conception  of  such 
assemblies.  I'he  disposition  to  pray,  to  petition  the 
Supreme  Being  for  benefits  needed,  and  for  defense 
against  impending  evils,  is  instinct  in  the  human 
mind.  But  the  idea  of  worship,  in  its  strict  sense, 
of  fellowship  with  the  spiritual,  and  communion 
with  the  unseen,  seems  never  to  have  entered  into 


CHRISTIAN    WORSHIP.  229 

the  idea  of  prayer,  except  to  those  illuminated  by  a 
divine  revelation. 

The  teachings  of  Jesus  revealed  to  men  the  fact 
that  God  is  a  father  interested  in  human  affairs, 
caring  for  the  welfare  of  His  creatures,  and  that  He 
is  pleased  to  have  them  approach  Him,  and  make 
known  their  requests  with  prayer  and  supplication. 
Indeed,  under  the  old  dispensation,  God  declared 
Himself  to  be  a  praying-hearing,  and  a  prayer- 
answering  God.  But  Jesus  brought  the  divine 
presence  nearer  to  believing  souls,  and  gave  as- 
surance of  the  Eternal  Father's  loving  care,  which 
even  a  weak  faith  could  not  question.  "  Ask,  and 
ye  shall  receive;  seek,  and  ye  shall  find;  knock,  and 
it  shall  be  opened."  And  He  further  assured  His 
disciples,  that  God  was  more  willing  to  give  the 
Spirit  to  those  who  asked,  than  parents  were  to  give 
good  things  to  their  children. 

In  the  Old  Testament  much  is  said  of  prayer, 
many  remarkable  instances  of  which  are  narrated, 
with  equally  remarkable  answers  to  them.  But 
nothing  is  said  of  prayer-meetings  for  worship. 
The  temple  services  contained  nothing  equivalent 
to  it.  During  the  captivity  the  Jews  had  their  as- 
semblies for  mourning  and  lamentation  over  the 
desolations  of  Zion.  They  may  have  mingled  pray- 
ers for  the  promised  restoration.  Of  this  we  do  not 
know.  It  is  certain  that  the  jubilant  spirit  of  social 
worship  could  not  have  inspired  their  assemblies 
without  song,  for  they  hanged  their  harps  on  the 
willows,  and  refused  to  sing  the  Lord's   songs  in  a 


230  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

strange  land.  In  the  triumphs  of  a  Christian  faith, 
Paul  and  Silas  beguiled  the  midnight  hours,  in  the 
Philippian  jail,  with  prayer  and  singing,  though 
their  feet  were  held  fast  in  the  stocks  of  the  inner- 
most prison.  After  the  captivity  it  appears  that 
the  synagogue  service,  in  some  cases  at  least,  did 
approach  the  social  worship  of  the  prayer-meeting. 
Pious  Jews,  not  numerous  enough,  or  not  rich 
enough  to  build  and  sustain  a  synagogue  in  heathen 
cities,  were  accustomed  to  have  oratories,  places  of 
prayer,  cheap  and  temporary  resorts  for  worship. 
In  one  of  these  the  Apostle  found  Lydia  and  her 
associates,  out  of  the  city  of  Philippi,  by  the  river- 
side, where  they  were  accustomed  to  pray. 

It  does  not  appear  that  even  Jesus  and  His  dis- 
ciples held  seasons  of  social  prayer  together.  He 
prayed  much,  and  taught  them  how  to  pray,  as 
John  also  taught  his  disciples.  But  immediately 
after  the  ascension,  the  spirit  of  the  new  life  took 
possession  of  the  disciples,  even  before  the  baptism 
of  the  Pentecost,  and  they  resorted  to  ''  an  upper 
room,"  where  '*  these  all  continued,  with  one  accord 
in  prayer  and  supplication,  with  the  women,  and 
Mary,  the  mother  of  Jesus,  and  His  brethren." 
There  was  born  the  prayer-meeting  of  the  Christian 
dispensation,  which  has,  through  all  the  generations 
continued,  with  non-liturgical  churches,  a  compo- 
nent, and  a  most  important  part  of  Christian  worship 
'T-in  theory  at  least,  however  much  it  may  be  neg- 
lected in  practice. 

As  the  services  of  evangelical  churches  generally 


CHRISTIAN    WORSHIP.  23I 

are  arranged,  the  principal  prayer-meeting,  or,  as  it 
is  sometimes  distinguished,  "the  Church  prayer- 
meeting,"  comes  in  the  middle  of  the  week.  As 
a  rule  it  is  not  numerously  attended.  But  the 
most  spiritual  and  devout  members  attend;  and 
those  who  do  habitually  attend  become  the  devout 
and  spiritually  minded,  if  they  were  not  such  before. 
This  service  not  only  reveals,  but  nourishes  and  de- 
velops the  religious  vitality  of  the  Church,  and  the 
importance  of  the  service  as  a  spiritual  force  can- 
not well  be  overestimated.  The  pastor  who  is  wise 
unto  righteousness  for  the  good  of  his  people,  will 
cultivate  this  part  of  worship  with  the  most  pains- 
taking assiduity.  Those  pastors  who  have  been 
most  successful  in  edifying  their  churches,  have 
most  magnified  the  prayer-meeting.  Those  minis- 
ters who  have  been  most  successful  in  winning 
souls,  have  most  magnified  the  functions  and  the 
efficacy  of  prayer.  And  those  churches  which  most 
devoutly  pray  for  the  success  of  the  gospel  among 
them,  are  the  most  likely  to  realize  that  their  work 
is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord. 

Some  Suggestions. 

Doubtless  every  pastor  believes  himself  fully  ca- 
pable of  so  ordering  this  service  as  to  produce  the 
best  results,  without  advice  from  any  one.  And 
yet  it  is  probably  safe  to  say,  that  not  one  minister 
in  ten  knows  how  to  make  a  prayer-meeting  efficient, 
and  about  one  in  twenty  would  kill  the  best  one  that 
could  be  put  into  his  hands.     By  many  it  is  consid- 


232  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

ered  a  very  unimportant  affair,  that  will  care  for 
itself,  or,  if  not  cared  for  at  all,  it  matters  little. 
No  wise  pastor  will  make  such  a  mistake. 

The  following  suggestions — a  few  out  of  many — 
may  be  helpful  to  some.* 

I." The  success  and  utility  of  the  prayer-meeting 
depends  on  the  leader^  more  than  on  any  other 
one  thing,  save  the  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
The  leader  will  presumably  be  the  pastor.  He  cer- 
tainly ought  not  to  commit  the  management  of  so 
important  a  matter  to  other  hands,  as  a  rule.  And 
he  ought  to  give  diligence  and  prayerful  study  to 
bring  this  department  of  worship  to  the  highest 
possible  state  of  interest  and  efficiency. 

2.  The  success  of  the  service  does  not  depend  on 
the' numbers  who  attend.  Though  a  full  meeting  is 
desirable,  yet  a  very  full  meeting  may.be  a  very 
poor  one,  and  a  very  small  meeting  may  be  a  very 
good  one.  And  all  attempts  to  crowd  the  service 
by  introducing  other  than  legitimate  topics,  is  a 
mistake.  The  prayer-meeting  has  its  special  mis- 
sion. Diverted  from  that,  it  ceases  to  be  the  true 
prayer- meeting,  though  it  may  prove  an  interesting 
service  of  some  other  kind. 

3.  The  prayer-meeting  is  not  a  **  teaching  service." 
Though  its  exercises  will  convey  instruction,  yet 
instruction  is  not  its  special  function.     That  belongs 


*For  a  more  extended  discussion  of  the  subject  see  "  The  Star 
Book  on  Prayer-Meetings,"  published  by  Ward  &  Drummond, 
New  York. 


CHRISTIAN    WORSHIP.  233 

to  the  pulpit,  the  Bible  class,  and  other  similar 
exercises.  This  is  for  the  heart  rather  than  for  the 
intellect.  To  feed  the  spiritual  hunger  of  the  soul. 
To  cheer,  inspire,  comfort.  Many  keep  silent  be- 
cause they  say  they  cannot  instruct.  But  that  is 
not  the  peculiar  vocation  of  the  service.  They  can 
console,  sympathize,  encourage. 

4.  The  opening  exercises  should  be  brief.  So 
should  they  all.  Many  pastors  talk  to  death  the 
service,  by  long,  dull,  dreary  harangues,  just  to 
**  start  the  meeting  !  "  Give  a  desultory  discourse, 
a  kind  of  pointless  lecture,  of  a  promiscuous  char- 
acter, confusing  rather  than  illuminating  the  minds 
of  the  people,  giving  them  nothing  in  particular  to 
think  about,  to  speak  on,  or  to  pray  for.  Then  the 
leader  sits  down,  telling  them  to  occupy  the  time 
and  be  very  brief !  Is  it  a  wonder  that  no  one  feels 
like  moving,  and  that  the  meeting  expires  after  a 
few  ineffectual  struggles  for  animation  } 

5.  Singing  should  have  a  large  place  in  the  pray- 
er-meeting. Not  so  much  as  to  absorb  and  cover 
up,  or  exclude  prayer  and  exhortation,  or  degen- 
erate into  a  singing-school.  The  hymns  should  be 
wisely  adjusted  to  the  service  and  the  temper  of  the 
occasion.  After  the  meeting  is  fairly  opened,  one 
stanza  at  a  time  is  all  that  should  ordinarily  be  used. 
The  hymns  should  be  so  familiar  that  all  can  use 
them.  At  the  opening  and  closing  of  the  service 
an  instrument  is  of  special  use.  But  during  the  pro- 
gress of  the  meeting,  it  is  rather  preferable,  as  being 
more  free  and  less  formal,  for  some  one  to  strike  a 


234  THE    NEW   DIRECTORY. 

familiar  verse,  without  waiting  to  look  it  up  in  the 
book,  or  for  the  instrument  to  lead. 

6.  Begin  the  meeting  on  time.  That  will  help  the 
attendants  to  be  prompt.  If  the  leader  waits  for 
the  people,  the  people  will  be  all  the  later.  Train 
them  to  habits  of  punctuality.  Close  on  time,  ex- 
cept that,  on  occasion,  the  interest  may  justify  pro- 
tracting the  exercises  somewhat.  But  do  not  con- 
tinue so  long  as  to  exhaust  the  interest,  and  have 
to  stop  on  a  falling  tide. 

7.  Have  the  place  of  meeting  pleasant  and  at- 
tractive. This  can  be  done,  however  plain  and  poor 
it  may  be,  by  those  little  arts  of  handicraft  and  good 
taste  which  people  anywhere  can  exercise.  By  the 
use  of  flowers,  inexpensive  pictures  and  mottoes,  you 
can  make  a  barn  look  pretty.  Worshipers,  espe- 
cially the  young,  should  associate  beauty,  purity 
and  good  order  with  religion. 

8.  Be  sure  to  have  a  plenty  oi  pure  air  and  good 
light  in  the  prayer  room.  Few  buildings  are  so 
badly  ventilated  as  our  church  buildings.  On  Sun- 
day people  can  better  bear  to  be  poisoned  with  a 
noxious  atmosphere,  when  they  have  nothing  to  do 
but  listen  to  the  preacher — or  not  listen,  as  the  case 
may  be.  But  in  the  conference  meeting,  where  they 
are  expected  to  take  some  part,  it  is  absolutely  es- 
sential that  they  shall  not  be  put  to  sleep,  made 
drowsy,  or  given  a  headache  by  vitiated  air. 

9.  As  the  chief  value  and  potency  of  the  social 
meeting  lies  in  its  spiritual  unction  and  power, 
therefore  one  of  the  chief  subjects  of  prayer  should 


CHRISTIAN    WORSHIP.  235 

be  the  implored  presence  and  aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
And  those  persons  are  best  prepared  for  it,  and  the 
most  useful  in  it,  who  do  the  most  to  live  in  and 
walk  by  the  Spirit.  No  intellectual  or  literary 
qualifications  can  meet  this  demand.  Here,  the 
spiritually  minded  bear  the  palm,  though  in  all  else 
they  may  be  quite  behind. 

10.  As  the  fabric  of  the  prayer  and  conference 
meeting  consists  of  this  threefold  texture,  prayer^ 
exhortation  and  song,  does  not  assume  the  functions 
of  teaching,  and  relates  largely  to  personal  Christian 
experience,  therefore  all,  old  and  young,  male  and 
female,  learned  and  unlearned,  can  take  part  in  its 
service,  be  benefited,  and  benefit  others.  All  who 
have  a  personal  experience  of  divine  grace  in  their 
own  hearts  and  lives,  are  fitted  to  do  good  and  to 
receive  a  blessing  in  this  sacred  service. 

OTHER   PRAYER-MEETINGS. 

Besides  the  mid-week  general  prayer-meeting  of 
the  Church,  many  other  occasions  for  special  or 
stated  prayer  are  observed  by  most  Christian  con- 
gregations. 

The  women* s  prayer-meeting.  In  very  many 
churches  Christian  women  have  a  weekly  service  of 
this  sort,  conducted  by  themselves,  where  they  can 
feel  more  freedom  than  in  the  general  meetings. 
These  services,  sometimes  inaptly  called  '*  female 
prayer-meeting,"  give  occasion  for  those  to  exercise 
their  gifts  who  lack  the  courage,  or  possibly  doubt  the 


236  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

propriety  of  females  speaking  in  promiscuous  assem- 
blies, as  in  some  communities  they  do. 

Young  people  s  prayer-meeting.  Within  recent 
years,  the  organization  of  classes,  especially  women 
and  young  people,  for  religious  and  benevolent  work, 
has  assumed  proportions  not  formerly  dreamed  of 
Great  good  has  resulted,  and  greater  good,  we  may 
hope,  will  yet  result,  notwithstanding  some  doubts 
and  drawbacks  as  to  the  evils  of  class  divisions  in 
Church  life  and  work,  as  imperiling  the  unity  of  the 
body.  The  young  people's  prayer-meeting  is  now 
almost  everywhere  in  the  churches.  The  only  ob- 
jection that  seems  valid,  as  against  them,  is,  that 
having  done  their  part  in  their  own  prayer-meeting, 
they  may  either  feel  at  liberty  to  absent  themselves 
from  the  Church  prayer-meeting,  or,  if  present,  to 
take  no  part.  Where  this  does  happen  it  is  a  serious 
misfortune,  and  overbalances  any  good  their  separate 
service  may  produce.  The  Church  should  not  be 
broken  up  into  sections  and  segments  of  old  people 
and  young  people,  male  and  female,  but  be  as  one 
family,  a  sacred  unity,  as  the  body  of  Christ.  But 
these  unfortunate  results  do  not  always  follow. 

The  missionary  prayer-meeting.  The  concert  of 
prayer  for  missionaries,  and  the  success  of  the  Gos- 
pel in  heathen  lands,  held  once  each  month,  seems 
falling  into  neglect.  Formerly  it  was  generally  ob- 
served by  all  Evangelical  churches.  *'  The  week  of 
prayer,"  for  the  same  object,  and  for  the  universal 
revival  of  religion,  is  still  generally  observed  on  the 
first  week  in  the  year.     Usually  very  gracious  re- 


CHRISTIAN    WORSHIP.  237 

suits  follow  in  the  churches  which  observe  it.  They 
that  water  others  shall  themselves  be  watered. 

The  temperance  prayer-meeting.  This  is  not  so 
generally  observed  as  it  should  be.  For  if  there  be 
anything  that  appeals  to  Christian  faith,  and  which 
should  lead  Christian  people  to  appeal  to  God,  the 
righteous  judge,  for  help,  it  is  this  cause, — that  the 
gigantic  iniquity  of  the  saloon,  and  the  drink  habit, 
which  cause  more  suffering  than  war,  pestilence  and 
famine  combined,  may  be  checked  and  destroyed. 
With  churches  so  apathetic,  and  good  people  on 
every  hand  so  indifferent,  the  rum  power  rides  riot 
over  all  that  is  fairest  and  best  in  society,  destroy- 
ing homes,  impoverishing  nations,  and  invading  the 
sacred  altars  of  our  holy  religion.  Appeals  need  to 
be  made  to  Him  who  is  able  to  hear  and  save,  for 
who  else  can  avail  ? 

The  mothers'  prayer-meeting.  There  is  fitness  in 
the  gatherings  of  mothers  for  special  prayer  for  their 
children,  that  they  may  escape  the  snares  of  sin  and 
the  temptations  of  the  world,  be  early  converted, 
and  make  honorable  and  useful  Christians.  Such 
meetings,  persisted  in,  have  often  been  followed  by 
the  most  manifest  blessing  of  God  in  answers  to 
prayer.  But  mothers  who  pray  for  the  conversion 
of  their  children  must  constantly  strive  to  answer 
their  own  prayers,  by  training  them  in  the  nurture 
and  admonition  of  the  Lord. 

The  Sunday-school  prayer-meeting.  It  is  quite 
natural  for  Christian  workers  in  any  department  of 
service  to  feel  specially  interested  in  that  depart- 


238  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

ment,  and  to  implore  the  divine  favor  to  attend  and 
give  success  to  their  endeavors.  Sunday-school 
work  has  become  so  wide-spread,  so  vital  as  a  relig- 
ious agency,  and  so  efficient  among  the  young,  that 
it  rightly  holds  a  large  place  in  the  sympathies  and 
the  prayers  of  the  churches.  It  is  most  commend- 
able, therefore,  that  special  prayer,  and  special  isea- 
sons  of  prayer  be  designated  for  the  success  of  this 
line  of  Christian  endeavor. 

For  colleges  and  schools  of  learning.  An  annual 
"week  of  prayer"  is  now  generally  observed  for 
educational  institutions,  especially  schools  for  higher 
learning,  that  they  may  be  made  subservient  to  vir- 
tue, truth  and  piety.  For  the  conversion  of  stu- 
dents, and  the  sanctification  of  all  intellectual  ac- 
quisitions to  the  best  interest  of  true  religion.  This 
is  a  matter  of  the  gravest  importance,  especially  as 
nearly  all  of  our  colleges  and  high  schools  were 
founded,  and  are  largely  supported  by  the  benevo- 
lence of  Christian  men  and  women. 

Ill,      THE   SERVICE   OF   SONG. 

The  power  and  influence  of  sacred  song  in  worship 
are  not  understood  and  appreciated  as  they  ought 
to  be. 

Even  where  music  is  highly  cultivated  in  Chris- 
tian congregations,  it  is  rather  for  aesthetic  effect 
and  popular  attraction,  than  for  spiritual  uses  ; 
rather  as  an  appeal  to  the  intellect  than  to  the 
heart ;  rather  to  gratify  the  taste  than  to  answer  the 


CHRISTIAN    WORSHIP.  239 

cravings  of  a  devout  spirit.  Music  may  become 
high  art  in  the  house  of  God,  but  that  does  not 
make  it  worship.  Of  course  it  should  be  artistic  in 
the  best  sense  of  that  term,  but  only  that  it  may  be 
the  more  devout.  In  the  old  temple  service  of  the 
Hebrews,  music,  conjoined  with  sacrifices  and  offer- 
ings, constituted  almost  their  only  worship. 

Indeed  in  our  less  pretentious  Christian  services, 
singing  constitutes  almost  the  only  act  that  can  be 
called  worship  in  the  strictest  sense.  Like  prayer, 
the  service  of  song  may  express  adoration,  confes- 
sion, supplication  and  praise.  But,  unlike  prayer,  all 
can  vocally  unite  in  this  act  of  worship.  Now,  as 
in  the  primitive  churches,  the  saints  can  mitigate 
their  sorrows,  beguile  their  griefs,  elevate  their  af- 
fections, and  gird  themselves  with  strength,  '*  Speak- 
ing to  themselves  in  psalms  and  hymns,  and  spirit- 
ual songs,  singing  and  making  melody  in  their 
hearts  to  the  Lord." — Eph.  5  :  19. 

Being  performed  in  concert,  where  many  unite,  it 
prevents  an  unpleasant  sense  of  individual  responsi- 
bility, and  becomes  a  pleasant  privilege,  instead  of 
a  burdensome  duty.  It  animates  the  dull,  and 
soothes  the  agitated  spirit.  While  it  comforts  and 
inspires  the  saints,  it,  more  than  any  other  part  of 
religious  service,  attracts  the  unconverted  and  the 
unbelieving.  It  is  the  act  of  worship  in  which  all 
occupy  a  common  attitude,  and  mutually  bear  a 
part.  It  is  not,  therefore,  strange  that  sacred  song 
has  occupied  so  large  a  place  in  the  history  of 
Christian  worship,  and  that  the  affections  of  the  re' 


240  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

newed  heart  cherish  it  so  fondly,  and  resort  to  it  so 
constantly.  Christianity  has  sung  its  triumphs 
through  the  ages,  and  around  the  world. 

1.  The  Character  of  Song-Worship. 

It  should  be  the  united  expression  of  the  assembly 
— the  worship  of  all  uttered  in  song.  It  is  not  to 
be  a  performance  by  a  company  of  musicians,  for 
the  entertainment  of  the  congregation,  but  an  act  of 
worship  by  the  congregation  itself.  It  is  not  to  be 
an  act  of  worship,  performed  by  others,  to  which  the 
people  are  to  listen,  but  an  act  of  worship  which  they 
themselves  are  to  offer.  "Let  the  people  praise  thee, 
O  God  :  let  all  the  people  praise  thee." — Ps.  6y  :  5. 

Therefore  singing  should  be  congregational;  that 
is,  the  people  should  sing;  all  the  assembly  should 
praise  God  in  song.  Singing  is  the  people's  worship. 
The  chant,  the  anthem,  the  oratorio  are  rather  for 
the  cathedral  and  the  temple.  Though  beautiful 
and  grand,  and  potent  with  a  savor  of  worship,  they 
should  be  sparingly  used  in  the  Christian  congrega- 
tion. They  may  incite  an  audience  to  worship,  but 
the  assembly  does  not  to  any  considerable  extent 
worship  in  them.  The  genius  of  the  Gospel  requires 
chiefly  the  chorus,  where  the  people  shall  not  simply 
listen,  and  have  devotion  excited,  but  where  they 
shall  sing,  and  express  devotion. 

2.  The  Style  of  Music, 

Since  the  true  idea  of  sacred  song  is  that  the  peo- 
ple shall  worship,  not  witness  a  performance,  there- 


CHRISTIAN    WORSHIP.  241 

fore  the  style  of  music  should  be  such  as  the 
people  can  perform.  But  the  mass  of  worshipers 
can  never  go  beyond  the  simplest  elements  of  any 
art  or  science;  therefore  the  music  for  Christian  ser- 
vice should  be  of  the  simplest  kind,  in  structure  and 
execution,  and  limited  to  a  small  number  of  tunes. 
Music  more  complicated  in  structure,  and  more 
artistic  in  execution,  a  few  could  perform,  and  per- 
haps more  highly  enjoy;  but  it  could  not  express 
the  devotion  of  the  great  majority  of  worshipers 
because  they  could  not  unite  in  it.  Devotion  seeks 
plain  choral  harmonies  in  which  to  utter  its  worship. 
The  leaders  ofChuych  music  will  be  constantly 
endeavoring  to  treat  the  congregation  to  a  greater 
variety  in  style  and  execution;  but  this  will  be  a  de- 
parture from  the  true  idea  of  worship.  As  our  re- 
ligious services  are  usually  arranged  it  may  be  very 
well  to  introduce  them  with  an  anthem,  a  chant,  or 
a  sentence  by  the  choir  ;  and  possibly  a  short  set 
piece  somewhere  before  the  sermon;  perhaps  im- 
mediately following  the  "  long  prayer,"  before  the 
notices,  and  the  second  hymn.  But  the  hymns — 
and  prevailing  custom  calls  for  three — should  be 
sung  to  simple  music,  so  familiar  that  the  people 
can  sing  them,  without  an  effort  to  remember  the 
tune,  and  without  danger  of  losing  it,  all  thought 
being  given  to  the  sentiment  and  spirit  of  the  words. 

3.    The  Leader  of  Music. 

It  makes  little  difference  whether  the  leader  be  an 
organ,   or  a  single   voice,  a  quartette,   or   a  choir. 
16 


^42  THE   NEW   CIRECTORV. 

Either  of  these  would  harmonize  with  the  spirit  and 
design  of  worship,  so  long  as  it  be  simply  a  leader, 
and  not  a  performer.  If  the  singing  is  to  be  done 
for  the  people,  and  they  take  no  part  in  it,  it  mat- 
ters little  whether  that  part  be  performed  by  an  in- 
strument, a  single  voice,  or  several  voices.  But  a 
Christian  congregation  should  not  omit  so  important 
a  duty,  nor  deprive  itself  of  so  sacred  a  privilege  as 
that  of  singing  the  praises  of  God  in  His  house  of 
worship. 

Note  i. — The  too  common  custom,  in  our  large  and 
wealthy  congregations,  in  cities  and  towns,  of  hiring  a  com- 
pany of  professional  musicians,  operatic  or  otherwise,  carnal, 
worldly  minded,  and  irreverent  persons,  destitute  of  religious 
sentiment,  to  perform  this  important  part  of  religious  service 
for  the  Church,  is  a  shameful  perversion,  which  outrages 
every  sentiment  of  a  pure  spiritual  worship,  violates  the  pro- 
prieties of  a  simple  Gospel  service,  and  ought  not  to  be 
tolerated  by  a  Christian  assembly.  For  while  it  is  proper  for 
unconverted  persons  to  sing  in  worship,  and  even  to  be  mem- 
bers of  the  choir  if  reverent,  and  while  it  is  proper  for  per- 
sons who  devote  valuable  time  and  service  to  music  to  re- 
ceive appropriate  compensation,  yet  to  give  up  to  a  company 
of  paid  performers  the  most  important  part  of  worship, 
simply  because  they  possess  musical  taste  and  culture,  is  an 
offense  to  the  spirit  of  devotion,  and  it  must  seem  to  the 
Spirit  of  grace  as  well. 

Note  2. — While  it  is  as  proper  for  unconverted  persons  to 
sing,  as  it  is  for  them  to  read  the  Scriptures,  or  to  pray,  yet 
it  is  altogether  inconsistent  for  one  not  truly  a  Christian  to 
lead,  have  charge  of  and  control  the  music  for  Church  ser- 
vice; as  inconsistent  as  it  would  be  for  an  unconverted  man 
to  take  charge  of  the  prayer-meeting.  The  choir  leadef 
should  be  a  thoroughly  Christian  man. 


CHRISTIAN    WORSHIP.  ^43 

Note  3. — Since  the  music  is  a  part  of  Church  service,  and 
a  principal  part  of  its  worship,  the  right  and  obligation  to 
engage,  dismiss  and  manage  those  connected  with  it,  belongs 
to  the  Church  distinctively,  as  pertaining  to  its  spiritualities, 
and  not  to  the  trustees,  whose  duties  are  confined  to  the  tem- 
poralities; though  so  far  as  the  payment  of  salaries  is  con- 
cerned, that  falls  to  the  trustees.  Sometimes  the  Church  by 
a  special  act  gives  up  the  entire  management  of  this  depart- 
ment to  the  trustees,  to  the  deacons,  to  a  music  committee, 
or  places  it  in  the  hands  of  the  chorister,  making  him  re- 
sponsible. Either  of  these  courses  the  Church  has  the  right 
to  take,  judging  for  itself  which  is  the  wisest  and   best  way. 

Note  4. — It  must  be  remembered  that  Church  music  is  a 
part  of  worship,  and  since  the  conducting  of  worship  de- 
volves on  the  pastor,  and  is  his  by  right,  so  the  management 
of  the  singing  should  be  only  on  consultation  with  him,  and 
with  his  approval.  And  while  he  has  not  the  right  to  over- 
rule or  reverse  the  action  of  the  Church,  they  should  not  at- 
tempt to  force  on  him  musical  adjustments  which  are  un- 
welcome, or  repugnant  to  his  sense  of  propriety.  The  pulpit 
and  the  orchestra  must  be  in  accord,  if  worship  is  to  be 
pleasant  and  profitable. 

Note  5. — All  levity  and  irreverence  on  the  part  of  singers 
during  the  time  of  service  should  be  strictly  avoided,  and  if 
need  be,  absolutely  forbidden  and  prohibited.  All  whisper- 
ing, trifling,  leaving  the  gallery  during  the  sermon,  returning 
in  time  for  the  closing  hymn,  with  all  other  marks  of  indif- 
ference and  disrespect,  are  painfully  incongruous  in  scenes  of 
devotion,  especially  on  the  part  of  those  who  occupy  so 
prominent  a  place  in  worship  as  do  the  musicians.  The 
same  respectful  attention  to  all  the  services  should  be  de- 
manded from  them,  as  is  expected  from  others  of  the  con- 
gregation. 

Note  6. — In  order  to  realize  the  full  advantage  of  congre- 
gational singing  as  an  aid  to  worship,  some  churches  have 
weekly  meetings,  especially  of  the  young  people,  for  the  pur- 


544  ^HE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

pose  of  practising,  and  becoming  familiar  with  the  hymns 
and  tunes  used  on  the  Lord's  Day. 

Note  7. — Every  Church  should  provide  for  the  instruction 
of  the  young  in  the  congregation  and  Sunday-school,  in  the 
elements  of  vocal  music.  Such  instruction,  during  six,  or  at 
least  three  months  of  the  year,  with  a  weekly  exercise,  would 
soon  make  congregational  singing  practicable  and  successful. 

Note  8. — It  certainly  would  seem  that  every  Christian 
congregation  should  be  able  to  recruit  a  volunteer  chorus 
choir  from  its  own  members,  without  the  necessity  of  hiring 
professional  artists  from  abroad.  This  would  better  har- 
monize with  the  true  idea  of  devotion.  And  if  Church 
music  were  sustained  purely  for  worship,  as  it  should  be,  and 
not  as  a  special  entertainment  or  attraction,  this  might  be 
realized  more  frequently  than  it  now  is. 

IV.      THE   WORD    OF   EXHORTATION. 

Whether  the  gift  of  exhortation  were  one  of  the 
special  charisms  bestowed-by  the  Spirit  on  the  prim- 
itive Church,  as  many  believe,  and  as  would  seem  to 
be  implied  in  the  eighth  of  Romans,  where  it  is  men- 
tioned as  one  of  the  gifts y  and  classed  with  proph- 
ecy, the  ministry,  teaching  and  ruling,  we  do  not 
undertake  to  decide.  Certain  it  is  that  it  has  always 
been  developed  among  the  spiritually  minded  as  a 
powerful  auxiliary  to  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel, 
and  other  means  of  grace.  It  constitutes  a  consid- 
erable part  of  worship  in  social  religious  meetings, 
where  God's  people  ''  exhort  one  another  daily," 
and  each  **  suffer  the  word  of  exhortation." — Heb. 
3  :  13;  13  :  22.  The  meaning  of  the  original  word 
{Jfarakaleo)  is  significant  of  the  importance  of  the 


CHRISTIAN    WORSHIP.  245 

exercise.  It  means  to  call  for,  or  upon,  and  espe- 
cially to  call  upon  in  the  sense  of  cheering,  encour- 
aging, comforting,  inspiring,  those  addressed. 

There  are  persons  in  every  Church  who  have  a 
depth  and  richness  of  Christian  experience  far  be- 
yond the  common  average,  whose  remarks  are  at- 
tended by  a  peculiar  unction  and  power  unknown 
to  the  ordinary  Christian  life.  This  is,  doubtless, 
largely  owing  to  their  closer  fellowship  and  more 
intimate  communion  with  God.  But,  aside  from  such 
special  cases,  every  saint  can  speak  of  his  experi- 
ence in  the  life  of  faith,  and  by  a  recital  of  both  his 
sorrows  and  his  joys,  exhort  and  encourage  others. 
They  are  not  called  upon  to  expound  the  Scrip- 
tures, nor  to  conduct  public  meetings,  but  they 
can  tell  of  the  love  of  God  and  the  grace  of  Christ 
as  revealed  to  them. 

The  exhortations  of  God's  children  form  one  of 
the  most  effectual  means  of  spiritual  improvement 
and  edification  to  the  churches,  **  Or  he  that  exhort- 
eth  on  exhortation.":— Rom.  12:8. 

I.  Who  should  exhort. — All  who  have  the  spirit. 
It  is  the  privilege,  and,  doubtless,  at  times,  the  duty 
of  all  who  know  the  grace  of  God,  without  distinc- 
tion of  age,  sex  or  condition,  to  speak  of  their  ex- 
perience in  the  divine  life,  and  thus  encourage  oth- 
ers. This  is  an  exercise  specially  fitted  for  the 
social  meetings.  There,  where  the  greater  freedom 
of  "the  household  of  faith"  prevails,  they  should 
**  exhort  one  another,  and  so  much  the  more  as  they 
see  the  day  approaching." — Heb.  10  :  25. 


246  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

2.  The  gift  of  exhortation. — Whether  there  be  a 
special  gift  for  this  exercise,  and  whether  some  are 
called  to  it  as  others  are  called  to  preach,  it  is  clear 
that  some  are  specially  gifted  in  it,  as  some  are  in 
prayer  and  some  in  the  ministry  of  the  word.  But 
every  one  who  has  an  experience  in  godliness  can 
speak  to  edification,  and  the  deeper  and  more  con- 
stant is  that  experience  the  more  gracious  and  edi- 
fying will  be  the  exhortation.  Ordinary  abilities, 
sanctified  by  the  Spirit,  cannot  fail  to  be  profitable. 
Those  who  speak  the  most  fluently  and  the  most 
eloquently  do  not  always  speak  the  most  profitably; 
but  those  who  speak  with  the  Spirit  never  fail  to 
edify  those  who  walk  in  the  Spirit. 

3.  Faults  in  exhortation. — Christians  sometimes 
fall  unconsciously  into  faulty  habits  in  this  exercise, 
which  hinder  their  usefulness  and  mar  the  pleasure 
of  spiritual  fellowship. 

Gloomy  and  despondent  expressions  should  be 
avoided.  Comforting,  inspiring,  stimulating  utter- 
ances befit  the  meaning  of  the.  word  and  the  wants 
of  the  saints. 

A  preaching  stylQ  should  be  avoided,  though  pass- 
ages of  Scripture  will  often  be  mentioned,  suggesting 
reflections  of  great  interest  and  profit. 

Prolix  exhortations  should  never  be  indulged  in, 
since  they  become  wearisome  and  unprofitable,  and 
deprive  others  of  their  privileges. 

Ones  self  should  not  be  too  often  mentioned,  lest 
it  might  appear  boastful  and  egotistic. 

Fatilt-findirig  and    complaining  should  be  most 


.      CHRISTIAN     WORSHIP.  24/ 

carefully  shunned.  It  closes  the  ears  and  hearts  of 
the  hearers,  and  casts  a  pall  over  the  spirit  of  the 
meeting. 

Denunciation  and  a  censorious  spirit  is,  if  possible, 
still  worse.  It  exhibits  a  spirit  opposed  to  the  Gos- 
pel, and  never  fails  to  do  harm. 

Hobbies  are  unprofitable.  Some  dwell  on  hack- 
neyed themes  until  both  themselves  and  their  sub- 
jects are  distasteful  to  the  audience. 

Foreign  subjects  should  not  be  often  introduced, 
except  as  illustrations,  or  from  which  to  draw  les- 
sons of  instruction.  Experimental  religion  furnishes 
the  fittest  themes  for  exhortations. 

Adulation  and  excessive  praise  of  individuals  are  as 
unwise  and  offensive  as  harsh  criticism  and  denun- 
ciation; though  commendation  and  approval,  when 
called  for,  are  praiseworthy. 

Confessing  one's  self  a  very  great  sinner,  parad- 
ing his  shortcomings,  will  be  understood  as  an  af- 
fectation of  unusual  piety.  This  is  not  wise  exhorta- 
tion. 

V.      THE   COVENANT   MEETING. 

The  Covenant  Meeting  is  an  orde/  of  religious 
service,  very  generally,  though  not  universally  ob- 
served among  Baptists.  Its  observance,  however, 
is  extending,  and  becoming  more  general.  In  form, 
it  is  a  usage  peculiar  to  our  people,  but  in  spirit  and 
purpose,  it  has  its  counterpart  in  some  of  the  other 
denominations.  Somewhat  like  the  "  class-meet- 
ing," it  aims  to  secure  some  expression  of  Christian 


^48  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

experience  from  each  Church  member  present;  and 
somewhat  like  the  "  preparatory  lecture,"  it  pro- 
poses to  become  a  fitting  preparation  for  the  com- 
munion of  the  Lord's  Supper,  to  be  observed  on  the 
following  Sunday. 

The  origin  of  this  service,  in  its  present  form,  is 
not  known.  It  was  peculiarly  valued  by  the  old 
New  England  Baptists,  and  traveled  West  and 
Northwest  with  the  tide  of  their  emigration,  more 
than  South  and  Southwest.  Its  spirit  is  instinct  in 
the  fellowship  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  spiritual  sym- 
pathy of  the  Christian  brotherhood.  The  saint,  at 
conversion,  enters  into  joyous  covenant  with  Christ, 
and  with  His  people.  Whether  formally  expressed 
or  not,  every  Christian  does,  on  being  baptized  and 
received  to  the  fellowship  of  the  Church,  covenant  to 
walk  together  with  the  other  members,  in  all  sin- 
cerity and  godliness,  as  common  heirs  of  the  grace 
of  life.  This  pledge,  to  love,  pray  for,  and  help  each 
other,  shunning  all  ungodliness,  and  living  soberly 
and  righteously  before  the  world,  is  the  renewed  as- 
surance of  fellowship,  in  the  bonds  of  a  common 
faith,  and  the  love  of  a  common  Saviour,  from  time 
to  time  renewed.  These  covenants  of  mutual  sym- 
pathy and  help,  had  a  significancy  amidst  the  perse- 
cutions of  the  early  martyr  age  of  Christianity, 
which  they  have  not  now.  The  same  may  be  said 
as  to  the  times  of  persecution,  when  the  early  Bap- 
tists of  New  England  endured  much  cruel  opposition 
and  suffering  inflicted  by  their  fellow-Christians, 
for  conscience'  sake,  and  for  Christ's  sake  patiently 


CHRISTIAN    WORSHIP.  249 

borne.  The  renewal  of  this  covenant  is  with  both 
Christ  as  the  Head  of  the  Church,  and  with  the 
members  of  the  body. 

In  favor  of  the  covenant  meeting,  as  a  means  of 
spiritual  help  and  culture,  much  may  be  said.  If  a 
member  could  attend  but  one  service  of  the  Church 
during  the  month,  that  one  should  undoubtedly  be 
the  Communion  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  This  is  the 
highest  expression  of  piety,  and  brings  the  soul  into 
most  immediate  fellowship  with  its  exalted  and  liv- 
ing Lord.  If  there  be  but  one  other  service  which 
the  member  can  attend,  that  other  one  should  be 
the  covenant  meeting,  which  anticipates  the  near 
approach  of  the  commemorative  Supper,  and  reviews 
the  vital  relationship  of  the  disciple  to  His  Saviour 
on  the  one  hand,  and  to  his  fellow-disciples  on  the 
other.  And  where  the  service  is  so  conducted  as  to 
realize  its  true  ideal,  it  becomes  the  most  endeared 
to  those  who  attend,  and  the  most  spiritually  stimu- 
lating and  helpful  of  all  occasions  of  social  worship. 

But  the  covenant  meeting,  in  order  to  realize  its 
benefits,  must  be  made  distinctive,  and  kept  true  to 
its  purpose.  The  service  is  unique.  It  is  not  a 
prayer-meeting,  it  is  not  a  lecture  service,  it  is  not 
a  teacher's  meeting.  It  is  for  each  member.  So 
far  as  all  are  willing — for  there  is  no  compulsion^ 
to  speak  briefly  of  his  religious  estate  and  experi- 
ence, especially  during  the  past  month,  and  in  view 
of  the  approaching  Communion.  After  the  usual 
opening  exercises,  and  brief  remarks  from  the  pas- 
tor, along  the  special  line  of  the  meeting's  purpose, 


250  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

calculated  to  be  helpful  to  what  follows,  the  mem- 
bers are  expected  *'  to  speak  to  their  covenant,"  or 
in  more  common  phrase,  '*  to  renew  their  covenant." 
This  is  done  in  few  words  by  each  in  turn,  by  a  re- 
newed declaration  of  their  interest  in,  and  fellow- 
ship with,  the  Church  and  the  Christian  life, with  men- 
tion of  any  peculiar  experience  of  joy  or  sorrow, 
during  the  previous  month.  The  whole  area  of 
Christian  experience  comes  under  review,  as  each 
one's  meditations  may  be  led. 

It  is  not  always  an  easy  task  to  induce  an  as- 
sembly of  Christian  people  to  speak  readily  and 
freely  concerning  their  own  religious  experiences. 
Some  have  so  little  experience  in  godliness;  some 
are  so  little  accustomed  to  speaking  before  others; 
some  shrink  with  such  timidity  from  speaking  of 
themselves,  that  there  is  probably  more  difficulty  in 
reaching  a  satisfactory  attainment  in  this  service, 
than  in  any  other  social  meeting.  No  one  is  called 
on  personally.  But  some  pastors,  to  save  so  large 
a  loss  of  time,  and  to  secure  a  larger  number  of 
testimonies,  have  the  speaking  begin  at  a  particular 
part  of  the  room,  and  go  in  order  through  one  row 
of  seats  after  another,  till  the  whole  is  completed. 
Each  one  speaks,  or  declines,  as  he  chooses,  when 
the  turn  reaches  him.  This  plan  is  a  little  more 
formal,  but  a  much  larger  number  of  testimonies 
will  in  this  way  be  secured,  and  usually  the  effect 
of  the  meeting  is  better.  Many  will  have  some- 
thing to  say  when  their  turn  comes,  and  others  im- 
mediately about    them    have   spoken,   who   other-^ 


CHRISTIAN    WORSHIP.  2$  I 

wise  would  remain  silent.  And  those  who  are  thus 
induced  to  bear  their  part  in  the  service  find  them- 
selves to  have  enjoyed  it  vastly  more  on  that  ac- 
count. The  covenant  meeting  is  held  monthly,  on 
the  week  preceding  the  communion  Sunday.  In 
cities,  towns  and  villages,  it  usually  takes  the  place 
of  the  prayer-meeting  for  that  week,  notice  being 
given  on  Sunday,  that  it  may  be  kept  in  mind.  In 
frontier  districts,  and  sparsely  settled  country 
neighborhoods,  it  is  common  to  hold  it  on  Saturday 
afternoon,  as  more  convenient  for  attendance.  In 
such  cases  it  is  usual  for  them,  in  addition  to  the 
covenant  service,  to  transact  any  Church  business, 
needful  to  be  done. 

Note  i. — To  the  Articles  of  Faith,  which  the  churches 
use,  there  is  generally  attached  a  form  of  Church  Covenant. 
This,  some  pastors  are  accustomed  to  read  to  the  Church 
when  assembled  at  the  Supper,  and  to  which  they  give  as- 
sent by  standing  while  it  is  being  read,  Some  read  it  at  the 
Covenant  Meeting,  as  a  partial  substitute  for,  or  supplement 
to,  the  meeting. 

Note  2. — It  will  be  understood  that  with  our  churches  no 
formal  pledge,  creed  or  covenant  is  made  compulsory  on 
members,  either  on  being  received  to  their  fellowship  or  sub- 
sequently. On  making  application  for  membership,  copies 
of  the  articles  of  faith  and  covenant  are  put  into  their  hands 
— or  should  be — and  they  are  asked  to  examine  them  care- 
fully. A  general  concurrence  in  these  is  expected,  but  no 
pledged  conformity  is  ever  exacted. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE   church's   mission. 

Churches  are  Heaven's  appointed  agencies  for 
the  salvation  of  men.  For,  though  it  would  be  false 
and  profane  to  say  that  men  could  not  be  saved 
outside  the  churches,  and  without  their  aid,  yet,  as 
a  matter  of  fact,  but  few  are  converted  and  saved 
aside  from  associated  Christian  effort,  as  represented 
by  the  churches,  or  the  zeal  of  personal  piety,  as 
nourished  and  stimulated  by  them. 

The  mission  of  a  Christian  Church,  therefore,  is 
to  a  "  world  lying  in  wickedness,"  to  men  '*  dead 
in  trespasses  and  sins,"  as  the  bearer  of  glad  tidings 
to  ''  prisoners  of  hope,"  and  herald  of  the  great 
salvation  to  lost  men.  In  order  to  accomplish  this, 
the  Church  must  sustain  a  suitable  spiritual  condi- 
tion, and  maintain  itself  in  the  faith  and  discipline, 
the  order  and  ordinances  of  the  Gospel.  Indeed,  for 
this  cause  Christ  gave  Himself  for  the  Church,  **  that 
He  might  present  it  to  Himself  a  glorious  Church, 
not  having  spot  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing;  but 
that  it  should  be  holy  and  without  blemish." — Eph. 
5  :  27.  A  carnal,  selfish,  worldly  minded  Church 
can  never  perform  this  holy  mission  ;  indeed,  is 
neither  worthy  of  it,  nor  fitted  for  it. 

252 


THE   church's  mission.  253 

The  responsibility  of  a  Church  is  both  corporate 
and  personal.  As  a  body  it  is  bound  to  make  its 
influence  felt  far  and  near.  But  the  body  is  what 
the  individual  units  which  compose  it  make  it  to 
be.  Each  member,  therefore,  should  strive  to  be 
and  to  do  what  the  entire  Church  ought  to  be  and 
to  do,  "  the  light  of  the  world  and  the  salt  of  the 
earth,"  "  a  city  set  on  a  hill,  that  cannot  be  hid." 
There  is  work  for  all,  and  work  adapted  to  the  con- 
dition and  ability  and  capacity  of  each,  however 
weak  and  humble.  Old  and  young,  great  and  small, 
male  and  female,  have  something  to  do,  and  some- 
thing that  each  can  do — if  there  be  a  heart  to  do  it. 
The  efficiency  and  usefulness  of  a  Church  depend 
on  each  member's  filling  his  own  place,  and  doing  his 
own  work,  so  as  neither  to  attempt  the  work  of 
others,  nor  yet  to  stand  idly  by  while  others  serve. 
In  nothing,  perhaps,  are  the  wisdom  and  skill  of  the 
pastor  and  officers  more  apparent  than  in  finding 
work  for  all,  and  giving  something  fit  and  adapted 
for  each  to  do. 

It  is  a  sad  and  somewhat  humiliating  reflection  that 
so  many  churches  clustered  together  in  communities 
with  all  the  appointments  and  means  of  grace  at 
their  command,  and  yet  that  they  exert  so  small 
an  influence  on  these  communities  —  make  such 
trifling  inroads  on  the  domain  of  sin,  and  win  so  few 
trophies  for  the  truth.  The  moral  influence  of  these 
institutions  of  Christianity  ought  to  do  more  to  re- 
press iniquity,  and  to  increase  righteousness.  The 
results  of  Church  life  and  action  are  often  more  ap- 


5^4  'J'K^  ^^^  DiRECTORY. 

parent  in  heathen  than  in  Christian  lands.  Doubt- 
less the  explanation  of  this  is  to  be  found  in  a  lack 
of  vital  godliness,  and  for  want  of  a  higher  standard 
of  Christian  living  among  us. 

The  common  and  ordinary  means  of  doing  good, 
and  the  methods  of  Christian  work  as  now  usually 
organized,  are  as  follows  : 

I.      GOSPEL   MINISTRATIONS. 

The  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  the  proclamation 
of  pardon  and  eternal  life  through  faith  in  Christ, 
is  the  foremost  and  the  most  effective  instrumentality 
for  the  salvation  of  the  world. 

It  is  divinely  ordained,  and  divinely  sanctioned 
and  sustained.  The  command  is,  ''  Go  ye  into  all 
the  world,  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature. 
And  lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  unto  the  end  of  the 
world." — Mark  i6  :  15  ;  Matt.  28  :  20.  The  promise 
is,  "  My  word  shall  not  return  unto  me  void,  but  it 
shall  accomplish  that  which  I  please,  and  it  shall 
prosper  in  the  thing  whereto  I  sent  it." — Isaiah 
55:11.  Though  an  apparently  feeble,  even  an  obnox- 
ious agency,  yet  it  is  ''mighty  to  the  pulling  down 
of  strongholds."  '*  We  preach  Christ  crucified,  unto 
the  Jews  a  stumbling-block,  and  unto  the  Greeks 
foolishness;  but  unto  them  which  are  called,  both 
Jews  and  Greeks,  Christ  the  power  of  God,  and  the 
wisdom  of  God." — i  Cor.  i  :  23,  24. 

I.  It  is  taken  for  granted,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
that   every  Church  will    support  a  faithful   and  an 


THE  CHURCHES   MISSION.  1t$^ 

evangelical  ministry  among  them,  for  ordinary  ser- 
vice in  the  house  of  God.  This  is  for  the  edification 
of  the  Church  itself,  and  for  the  instruction  and  con- 
version of  all,  old  and  young,  who  may  be  attracted 
to  it.  A  home  ministry  should  be  able  and  faithful, 
and  generously  sustained.  If  the  nations  are  to  be 
fed,  the  family  at  home  must  be  built  up  and  in- 
structed in  the  purposes  of  grace.  The  more  the 
saints  know  and  taste  of  the  word  of  life,  the  more 
liberally  and  earnestly  will  they  send  living  bread 
to  the  perishing  nations. 

2.  But  there  come  times  in  the  history  of  every 
Church,  when  extraordinary  services  seem  de- 
manded, special  occasions  indicated  by  the  Spirit's 
movement,  and  an  unusual  disposition  on  the  part 
of  the  people  to  give  heed  to  spiritual  and  eternal 
concerns.  While  all  times  are  times  of  favor  from 
the  Lord,  and  truly  times  of  need  with  men,  yet  it 
is  clearly  manifest  that  there  are  times  which  are 
more  hopeful  for  sowing,  and  more  abundant  in 
reaping  than  others.  Such  should  be  specially  im- 
proved. 

3.  Within  the  range  of  every  Church,  and  within 
the  parish  lines  of  every  pastor's  field,  there  are  cer- 
tain peculiarly  destitute  places,  which  are  generally 
very  much  neglected,  and  to  which  few,  if  any,  means 
of  grace  are  furnished.  The  people  cannot,  or  do 
not  attend  the  churches.  If  they  have  the  Gospel  it 
must  be  carried  to  them.  And  often  they  are  more 
ready  and  eager  hearers  of  the  word  than  stated 
congregations,  surfeited  with  its  abundance.     Under 


256  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

faithful  spiritual  cultivation  such  destitute  communi- 
ties often  become  fruitful  as  the  garden  of  the  Lord. 
4.  But  the  world  is  the  field,  whose  bounds  ex- 
tend beyond  home,  and  country  and  kindred.  Be- 
gin at  Jerusalem,  but  do  not  stop  till  all  nations  are 
reached,  and  every  creature  taught  the  way  of  life 
through  Christ  crucified.  Each  Church  and  each  in- 
dividual should  feel  his  obligation  to  aid  in  sending 
the  Gospel  to  the  destitute  the  world  over.  That 
was  Christ's  purpose  and  design.  For  that  He  died. 
And  those  who  have  His  spirit  will  strive  to  carry 
forward  the  work  He  began;  and  '*if  any  man  have 
not  the  spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  His." 

Note  i. — In  some  of  these  destitute  fields,  pastors  will  find 
some  of  their  most  pleasant  hours  of  labor,  and  some  of  their 
richest  rewards.  In  such  services  there  will  be  a  sincerity  and 
a  simplicity  hardly  expected  in  the  more  formal,  and  often 
perfunctory  services  of  the  sanctuary.  The  hearty  welcome 
given  to  simple  truth,  instead  of  cool  reserve,  or  critical 
hesitancy,  is  quite  refreshing  to  the  spirit  of  a  true  minister 
of  Christ. 

Note  2. — Some  churches  do,  and  many  more  might — and 
ought — sustain  a  colporteur,  or  missionary,  to  labor  a  part,  or 
all  of  the  time  in  such  destitute  neighborhoods.  Not  a  few 
able  churches  support  a  pastor's  assistant  to  aid  in  work  too 
large  and  laborious  for  one  man  to  do  in  addition  to  pulpit 
ministrations.  Most  churches  could  accomplish  tenfold 
more  in  such  ways  than  they  do. 

Note  3. — Great  good  has  been  effected  by  a  few  churches, 
in  developing  and  putting  to  use  lay-preaching.  In  almost 
every  Church  are  brethren  who  possess  more  than  ordinary 
gifts  for  exhortation,  expounding  the  Scriptures,  addressing 
congregations,   and   conducting   religious    meetings.     Why 


THE  church's   mission.  257 

should  such  abilities  lie  dormant,  and  find  no  appropriate 
exercise?  They  will  not  push  themselves  to  the  front;  but 
they  can  be  encouraged  to  assume  responsibilities.  It  would 
be  a  great  blessing  to  the  churches  themselves  if  such  capa- 
ble members  should  be  called  into  requisition  for  holdmg 
meetings  in  destitute  places,  and  bearing  the  gospel  to  those 
beyond  the  ordinary  means  of  grace. 

II.      SUNDAY-SCHOOL   WORK. 

In  their  spirit  and  purpose,  Sunday-schools  are  in 
harmony  with  gospel  methods  of  doing  good  ; 
though,  unlike  the  Church,  there  is  no  scriptural 
precept  or  precedent  for  their  separate  and  inde- 
pendent organization. 

The  churches  should  provide  religious  instruction 
for  the  children  and  youth  of  their  own  families,  and 
for  the  children  and  youth  of  other  families  who  may 
be  disposed  to  avail  themselves  of  the  privilege, 
quite  as  much.  Particularly  should  this  instruction 
make  prominent  a  study  of  the  Bible.  This  is  the 
one  text-book  for,  and  the  one  purpose  of,  Sunday- 
school  and  Bible-class  study.  It  is  likely  that,  so 
far  as  the  local  congregation  is  concerned,  next  to 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  the  Sunday-school 
is  to  be  ranked  in  importance  as  an  evangelical 
agency.  To  what  extent  its  object  is  realized  de- 
pends largely  on  the  course  pursued  by  the  super- 
intendent, officers  and  teachers. 

The  influence  of  Sunday-school  work  is  threefold: 

The  direct   influence  on  the  pupils  in   storing  their 

minds  with  religious  knowledge,  forming  their  char- 
17 


258  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

acters  to  virtue  and  moulding  their  hearts  to  good 
morals.  The  indirect  influence  on  the  homes  of  the 
pupils,  to  which  they  carry  their  impressions  from 
the  school;  their  books  and  papers  to  be  read,  and 
the  songs  they  had  learned  to  sing,  to  be  repeated 
in  their  own  families.  The  reflex  influence  on  offi- 
cers and  teachers,  and  all  who  are  interested  in,  and 
work  or  make  effort  for,  the  school.  Those  who 
are  engaged  in  doing  good  are  benefited  as  much 
by  the  effort  as  those  to  whom  the  good  is  done. 
Hence,  those  who  stand  aloof  from  any  Christian 
service  are  the  chief  losers. 

The  religious  training  of  the  young,  both  in  the 
household  and  in  the  Church,  is  undervalued,  and 
too  much  neglected.  The  character  of  men  and 
women,  and  their  influence  for  good  or  evil  in  sub- 
sequent life,  depend  largely  on  their  moral  and  re- 
ligious training  in  childhood.  Divine  wisdom  has 
foreseen  and  provided  for  this,  and  has  enjoined 
that:  "  These  words  which  I  command  thee  this 
day  shall  be  in  thine  heart;  and  thou  shalt  teach 
them  diligently  unto  thy  children,  and  shalt  talk  of 
them  when  thou  sittest  in  thine  house,  and  when 
thou  walkest  in  the  way,  and  when  thou  liest  down, 
and  when  thou  risest  up." — Deut. (^-.^^y.  Aside  from 
the  direct  beneficial  influence  on  the  young  them- 
selves, no  greater  boon  can  be  conferred  on  poster- 
ity than  to  train  the  rising  generation  to  virtue, 
honor  and  integrity;  and  this  is  most  effectually 
done  by  Christian  culture.  In  accomplishing  this, 
the  Sunday-school  is  a  potent  agency. 


THE   CHURCH  S   MISSION.  259 

I.    The  Relation  of  the  School  to  the  Church, 

There  are  in  the  main  three  prevailing  theories  of 
Sunday-school  control,  somewhat  diverse,  and  not  a 
little  at  variance  with  each  other,  each  of  which  for 
the  greater  part  works  smoothly,  because  of  the  good 
disposition  of  those  concerned  in  the  work. 

First — That  the  school  is  created  by,  dependent  on, 
and  controlled  by  the  Church,  as  a  part  of  its  legiti- 
mate work.  In  this  case  the  Church  appoints  its 
ofificers,  with  or  without  instructions,  as  it  would 
appoint  a  committee  for  any  other  service.  Of  course 
these  appointments  would  be  on  consultation  with 
the  workers,  and  not  in  an  arbitrary  manner.  The 
Church  is  responsible  for  all  expenses  incurred,  and 
for  the  general  management  of  the  body.  The  pastor 
is  the  official  head  of  this,  as  of  all  other  Church 
work,  even  though  not  practically  engaged  in  its 
details.  Undoubtedly  this  is  the  true  normal  relation 
of  the  school  to  the  Church. 

Second— T)!^!  the  school  is  a  benevolent  associa- 
tion, like  any  other  organized  for  a  specific  purpose, 
not  created  by,  dependent  on,  or  subject  to  the 
authority  of  the  Church.  On  this  theory,  individuals 
interested  in  the  work,  from  the  same  or  from  differ- 
ent churches,  form  themselves  into  a  society,  appoint 
their  own  officers,  make  their  own  laws,  meet  their 
own  expenses,  and  manage  their  own  affairs.  The 
Church  sympathizes  in  the  work,  aids  it,  if  so  disposed, 
but  assumes  no  responsibility  in  connection  with  it. 

Third — That  the  school  adopt  its  methods,  appoint 
its  officers,  and  administer  its  government,  subjec*  t,Q 


26o  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

the  approval  of  the  Church,  which  holds  a  veto  power, 
and  the  right  of  ultimate  control  in  all  matters  of 
authority.  The  school  is  allowed  independence  with 
non  interference,  so  long  as  its  management  meets 
the  approval  of  the  Church,  but  when  they  differ,  the 
Church  rules.  This  method  is  a  modification  of  the 
two  preceding. 

Note  i. — In  the  case  of  a  "  home  school  " — that  is,  one 
growing  out  of  a  given  Church,  and  occupying  the  Church's 
premises  for  its  service,  the  Jirs^  oi  these  plans  is  the  only 
consistent  one ;  although  many  home  schools  are  organized 
on  the  second  plan,  where  the  pastor  and  Church  have  no 
more  authority  or  control  than  if  it  were  a  temperance  soci- 
ety or  a  literary  club.  This  is  all  wrong,  and  the  wonder  is 
that  troubles  do  not  more  frequently  arise. 

Note  2. — Where  schools  are  organized  in  destitute  regions, 
and  sustained  by  persons  from  different  churches,  constitut- 
ing distinctively  mission  schools,  the  second  method  is  per- 
haps the  only  practicable  one,  since  they  are  the  outgrowth 
not  of  Church  activity,  but  of  individual  zeal. 

Note  3. — Every  Church  should  feel  obligated  to  provide 
religious  instruction,  under  its  own  inspection,  for  its  own 
children,  and  should  know  what  kind  of  instructors  they 
have,  and  what  kind  of  instructions  they  receive,  in  this  most 
important  part  of  their  education.  In  such  a  service  the  pas- 
tor should  lead  the  way,  and  insist  on  its  being  done,  and 
being  properly  done. 

2.    T/ie  Continuance  of  School  Service. 

In  city  schools,  formerly,  two  sessions  were  com- 
monly or  frequently  held  on  Sunday.  In  a  few  in- 
stances this  practice  is  continued,  but  is  of  doubtful 
expediency.     Certainly  it  is  of  doubtful  expediency 


THE  church's   mission.  261 

in  home  schools,  whatever  may  be  said  of  mission 
schools.  In  many  thinly  populated  neighborhoods 
and  frontier  settlements  school  exercises  are  wholly 
intermitted  during  the  rigors  of  winter  weather.  In 
not  a  few  this  is  inevitable,  but  in  many  others,  no 
doubt,  with  a  little  more  energy  and  perseverance, 
they  might  be  continued  throughout  the  year, 
though  possibly  with  a  diminished  attendance. 

3.  Character  of  the  Government. 

A  Sunday-school  cannot  be  governed  quite  like 
other  schools.  The  government  must  be  paternal 
and  kind.  Corporeal  punishments  and  ordinary  pen- 
alties are  not  resorted  to,  but  moral  forces  and  the 
power  of  love  must  rule.  Neither  should  the  prom- 
ise of  rewards  be  too  freely  used.  Presents,  pic- 
nics and  festivals,  held  out  to  the  pupils  as  an  in- 
ducement to  attend,  present  a  wrong  and  selfish 
motive.  Once  in  a  while  these  have  a  good  effect, 
not  as  a  promise  beforehand  made,  but  as  a  pleas- 
ant enjoyment  afterward  granted. 

4.  Exercises  Should  be  Diversified. 

The  exercises  should  be  greatly  diversified,  in 
which  singing  should  have  a  large  place.  Sing- 
ing pleases  children,  and  they  readily  learn  to  unite 
in  it.  It  instructs  and  elevates  the  sentiments,  while 
it  softens  and  subdues  the  ruder  traits  and  rougher 
passions.  Children  soon  weary  of  protracted  appli- 
cation, therefore  the  exercises  should  not  be  long 
continued  in  any  one  direction.     It  requires  all  the 


262  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

versatility  of  superintendent  and  teachers  to  sus- 
tain the  interest  of  the  school  and  the  classes.  Of 
course  this  should  not  be  carried  to  any  such  an  ex- 
tent as  to  dissipate  serious  interest,  and  make  the 
school  seem  a  play  resort  instead  of  a  place  for 
learning. 

5.  Books  for  the  Library. 

The  books  furnished  for  the  children  to  read  and 
take  to  their  homes  deserve  very  special  attention. 
It  is  no  easy  task  to  make  a  judicious  selection  of 
books  for  such  a  use.  Good  books  are  one  of  the 
best  appliances  for  Sunday-school  work.  But  the 
practice  of  admitting  to  these  libraries  so  large  a 
portion  of  fiction,  even  if  it  have  a  weak  flavor  of 
religion,  is  to  be  severely  condemned.  The  sickly, 
sentimental  love  stories,  with  a  little  prayer-meeting 
talk  interspersed,  fifth  or  sixth  rate  in  literary  qual- 
ity, will  counteract  a  large  part  of  the  good  the 
school  will  otherwise  accomplish.  But  good  books 
are  greatly  to  be  commended.  For  some  years 
past  periodicals  adapted  to  this  use  have  come 
largely  into  vogue,  and  to  a  considerable  extent 
have  displaced  the  libraries.  Papers  are  cheap,  and 
being  pictorial,  are  attractive  and  pleasing.  Good, 
sound  books  will,  however,  hold  their  places. 

6.  Bible-Class  Study. 

This  is  a  similar,  not  a  separate,  department  of 
religious  instruction.  These  classes  contain  the 
older   and  more  advanced  portions  of  the  youth, 


THE   church's   mission.  263 

together  with  adults,  associated  for  mutual  study 
of  the  Word  of  God.  The  formation  and  support 
of  such  classes  should  be  encouraged  for  the  great 
advantage  to  those  who  compose  them,  and  also  as 
a  place  for  the  members  of  lower  classes  when  they 
suppose  they  have  outgrown  the  proper  dimensions 
of  their  own. 

As  this  is  not  a  manual  on  methods  of  study  and 
plans  of  management,  the  subject  need  here  be  no 
further  pursued. 

Note  4. — Since  the  study  of  the  word  of  God  is  the  one 
specific  object  of  Bible-school  work,  the  one  thing  which 
justifies  its  existence  and  gives  it  importance,  therefore  noth- 
ing should  be  allowed  to  obscure  that  one  thing,  or  inter- 
fere with  its  successful  prosecution.  All  the  arrangements 
of  the  school  should  make  prominent  the  lesson,  illustrate  its 
meaning,  and  enforce  its  teaching. 

Note  5. — Nor  is  it  enough  that  the  letter  of  the  lesson  be 
comprehended.  Teachers  should  never  be  satisfied  until  the 
spt'rzt  and  power  of  the  truth  shall  savingly  affect  the  hearts 
of  the  pupils.  An  intellectual  mastery  of  the  Bible  will  effect 
but  little  unless  the  salvation  of  the  soul  be  secured.  To  this 
result  should  all  the  labor  tend. 

Note  6. — In  this  field  of  Christian  endeavor  the /aj/^r  has 
great  responsibility  and  great  opportunity.  He  should  exer- 
cise a  constant,  watchful  care  and  guardianship  over  it.  He 
may,  or  he  may  not,  become  statedly  identified  with  its  ex- 
ercises, but  he  should  often  visit  it,  speaking  such  words  of 
cheer  and  making  such  suggestions  as  may  seem  wise.  It 
will  make  him  familiar  with  the  children,  and  give  him  influ- 
ence with  all. 

Note  7. — Very  little  should  be  said  in  the  school,  even  by 
way  of  notices,  calculated  to  divert  the  minds  from  the  one 
purpose  for  which  they  are  assembled.     And  the  custom  in 


264  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

some  schools,  of  circulating  tickets  for  fairs,  festivals,  pic- 
nics, suppers,  with  elaborate  notices  and  explanations,  can- 
not be  too  severely  condemned.  All  religious  impressions 
are  prevented  or  obliterated  by  these  captivating  devices. 
They  should  not  be  permitted  ;  other  opportunities  may  be 
allowed  for  them. 

Note  8. — It  is  to  be  feared  that  the  Bible  itself  is  becom- 
ing too  much  a  stranger  in  the  Sunday-school  classes.  So 
much  dependence  is  had  on  "lesson  leaves"  and  other 
"  helps,"  while  the  Bible  is  overlooked  as  the  constant  hand- 
book and  text-book  of  the  service.  In  a  study  of  the  Scrip- 
tures there  is  a  vast  advantage  in  each  teacher  and  each  pupil 
having  his  own  Bible,  in  searching  that,  and  becoming  fa- 
miliar with  it.  It  serves  a  purpose,  but  not  the  same  purpose 
nor  one  equally  important,  to  read  a  text  or  a  lesson  from  a 
slip  of  paper  as  from  the  book  itself. 

Note  9. — The  school  deserves  and  should  receive  the 
prayers,  sympathies,  and  sustaining  help  of  the  entire  Church. 
Parents  and  other  members,  not  engaged  in  it,  should  often 
visit  it,  and  thereby  show  their  interest.  It  is  the  least  they 
can  do,  and  workers  will  be  cheered  by  their  presence. 

Note  10. — A  school  may  be  full  of  vital  activity,  while  all 
the  Church  besides  may  be  very  dull  or  very  dead.  And  yet 
it  is  very  foolish  and  very  absurd  to  say  the  school  is  as  im- 
portant as  the  Church,  and  doing  more  good.  A  Church 
may  be  degenerate,  and  false  to  its  mission,  but  still  it  is  a 
divine  institution.  Even  the  life  of  the  school  is  the  Church's 
life  transferred  to,  and  centered  in,  that  particular  department 
of  service.  Unreasoning  enthusiasts  make  a  great  mistake 
when  they  exalt  the  school  at  the  expense  of  the  Church. 

III.      RELIGIOUS    VISITATION. 

Religious  visitation  is  an  effective  means  by  which 
the  churches  can  further  their  mission  among  the 
families  of  their  own  immediate  field  of  Christian 


THE  church's   mission.  265 

work;  at  least,  such  families  as  are  supposed  to  have 
no  Church  relations,  and  to  be  under  no  definite  re- 
ligious influence. 

It  is  presumed  the  minister  will  visit  such  house- 
holds, and  afford  them  religious  instruction  and  con- 
solation. But  the  point  here  is,  that  the  Church, 
under  the  leadership  of  the  pastor,  should  adopt 
some  plan  for  systematic  religious  visitation  carried 
on  by  private  members.  The  purpose  is  to  hold 
religious  conversation  with  the  inmates,  read  the 
Scriptures,  and  have  prayer;  invite  them  to  the 
house  of  God,  and  bring  the  children  into  the  Sun- 
day-school. If  in  sickness,  want,  or  other  misfortune, 
report  them  to  the  Church,  and  furnish  such  relief 
as  may  be  practicable;  especially,  as  in  more  needy 
homes,  suitable  raiment  may  not  be  possessed,  to 
furnish  it.  And  in  any  other  way  that  may  be  open, 
to  relieve  temporal  necessities  to  those  found  to  be 
really  deserving. 

In  no  other  way  can  Christians  more  effectually 
imitate  their  Lord  and  Master,  who  ''  went  about 
doing  good,"  mitigating  and  removing  the  temporal 
sufferings  of  men,  that  He  might  the  more  effectually 
reach  their  souls  with  spiritual  food.  There  is  no 
more  Christly  mission  for  the  churches  than  this, 
and  every  member  can  bear  some  part  in  it,  if  there 
only  be  a  willing  and  ready  mind.  Hearts  oppressed 
with  sorrow  hunger  for  sympathy,  and  welcome  the 
counsels  of  those  who  will  give  it. 

This  ministry  of  Christian  faith  and  love  cannot 
well  be  overestimated  in  its  value,  both  to  those  who 


2^  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

perfor-n  it,  and  to  those  who  receive  it.  James  was 
right:  ''Pure  religion  and  undefiled  before  God  and 
the  Father  is  this,  to  visit  the  fatherless  and  widows 
in  their  affliction,  and  to  keep  himself  unspotted  from 
the  world.'* — James  I  :  27.  And  yet  how  few  of 
God's  people  appreciate  this  work,  or  are  anxious  to 
imitate  this  most  notable  feature  of  the  life  and  char- 
acter of  Jesus  1 
As  to  the  method  ior  this  service: 

1.  Let  the  whole  field,  which  the  Church  is  sup- 
posed to  occupy,  be  divided  into  districts,  and  a  cer- 
tain number  of  families  be  apportioned  to  each 
member,  male  or  female,  who  is  willing  to  undertake 
the  service;  or,  let  them  go  ''two  and  two,"  which 
is  better,  and  according  to  the  apostolic  plan.  Let 
these  visitors  report  the  results  of  their  mission,  from 
time  to  time,  in  the  social  meetings  of  the  Church, 
or  at  specially  designated  times,  and  at  the  end  of 
the  year  make  a  full  report  of  the  work  done,  and 
the  realized  results.  Such  reports  will  not  only  be 
interesting,  but  cannot  fail  to  stimulate  Christian 
activity  through  the  entire  body. 

2.  But  if  the  Church  as  a  whole  cannot  be  moved 
to  such  a  service,  then  let  the  few  who  are  willing, 
agree  among  themselves  to  attempt  it.  The  Lord 
will  bless  the  endeavor,  and  their  success  will 
stimulate  others.  Should  there  be  but  one  or 
two  who  are  willing  to  make  so  noble  an  endeavor, 
let  them  try  the  blessed  service,  and  spread  the 
result  before  the  Church.  The  Lord  can  work  by 
few,  as   well   as   by  many,  "  And  he  that  reapeth 


THE   church's   mission.  26/ 

receiveth  wages,  and  gathereth  fruit  unto  life  eter- 
nal."— ^John  4  :  36. 

Note  i. — Such  visits,  to  serve  their  purpose,  should  be 
strictly  religious,  and  not  merely  social  and  friendly.  Con- 
versation should  be  had,  so  far  as  practicable,  with  the  vari- 
ous members  of  the  family,  as  to  their  personal  religious  wel- 
fare, with  reading  a  brief  portion  of  the  Scriptures,  and 
prayer,  unless  circumstances  make  these  exercises  inconsistent 
or  impracticable. 

Note  2. — The  distribution  of  tracts  and  other  religious 
reading  should  accompany  such  visits,  and  will  prove  greatly 
beneficial,  providing  such  reading  be  wisely  selected,  and 
adapted  to  their  conditions.  Bibles  should  be  furnished  for 
homes  destitute  of  them.  A  tract  or  book  left  at  one  visit, 
to  be  replaced  by  another  at  the  next,  will  both  interest  and 
profit  those  disposed  to  read.  This  is  substantially  the  work 
which  tract  missionaries,  Bible  readers,  and  colporteurs  per- 
form with  so  much  success. 

Note  3. — The  most  needy  and  the  most  hopeful  subjects 
for  such  a  ministry  are  the  afflicted — the  sick,  the  bereaved, 
those  in  want,  and  otherwise  the  children  of  misfortune.  To 
such,  sympathy  and  help  are  no  empty  compliments,  but 
blessed  realities,  and  those  who  bring  them  will  be  welcomed 
as  ministers  of  mercy.  Temporal  mercies  bestowed  open  the 
heart  for  the  reception  of  spiritual  grace  to  be  welcomed. 

Note  4. — Since  so  large  a  part  of  poverty,  affliction,  and 
distress  in  social  life  arises  directly  or  indirectly  from  intem- 
perance, constant  endeavors  should  be  made  in  all  Christian 
work  to  suppress  this  fearful  evil,  and  to  promote  temperance  ; 
to  win  the  inebriate  from  his  destructive  habits,  and  save  his 
home  and  household  from  this  terrible  curse — a  curse  which 
falls  on  women  and  children  with  fearful  and  appalling  se- 
verity. 

Note  5. — Cases  of  sickness  and  want  should  be  reported 
to  the  Church,  both  to  stir  them  to  sympathetic  cooperation, 


268  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

and  to  secure  the  means  of  relief,  and  the  Church  should, 
according  to  its  ability,  furnish  temporal  aid  and  relief,  thus 
conferring  blessings  on  both  the  bodies  and  souls  of  the  un- 
fortunate. 

Note  6. — Such  visitation  should  aim  to  secure  the  habit- 
ual attendance  of  adults  on  Church  services,  and  of  the  chil- 
dren at  Sunday-school,  wherever  the  preferences  of  the 
people  may  lead  them  ;  most  naturally,  though  not  neces- 
sarily, where  the  visitors  themselves  worship. 

Note  7. — These  visits  are  most  profitable  if  rndid^  statedly, 
usually  once  each  month.  Then  they  will  be  expected,  and 
probably  will  be  more  impressive.  In  cases  of  sickness,  des- 
titution, or  religious  seriousness,  or  for  other  reasons,  where 
special  need  demands,  or  special  good  is  promised,  more  fre- 
quent calls  will  be  required.  When  Christians  with  devout 
spirits  become  interested  in  such  a  work,  they  will  find  great 
pleasure,  and  an  abundant  reward  in  it. 

IV.      CHRISTIAN   LITERATURE. 

Another  practicable  and  effective  means  for  bring- 
ing religious  truth  in  contact  with  human  minds  is 
in  the  use  of  the  printed  page;  by  disseminating  a 
sound  and  salutary  Christian  literature  in  the  houses 
of  the  people.  Both  for  the  quickening  and  edifica- 
tion of  Christians,  and  for  the  profiting  of  the  uncon- 
verted, religious  reading  is  of  the  greatest  impor- 
tance. Every  good  book  or  periodical  put  into 
circulation  is  a  personal  and  a  public  blessing.  And 
this  means  of  grace  is  so  accessible  that  none  need 
be  without  it.  Aside  from  the  periodical  religious 
press,  there  are  numerous  societies  with  abundant 
capital  for  the  purpose,  whose  only  business  is  the 
publication  and  circulation  of  religious  reading;  and 


THE  church's   mission.  269 

that,  too,  at  prices  so  low  as  to  bring  it  within  the 
reach  of  all.  Our  own,  as  well  as  other  Christian 
denominations,  has  its  publication  society,  doing 
nobly  and  well  this  work,  and  deserving  the  utmost 
confidence  and  the  largest  patronage. 

1.  A  few  good  books  should  be  in  every  home. 
Many  are  not  needed,  and  a  few  can  be  obtained. 
A  few,  read  over  and  over  until  the  mind  is  thor- 
oughly imbued  with  their  spirit,  are  better  than  many 
carelessly  read,  or  not  read  at  all.  Many  families, 
and  many  Christian  families,  it  is  a  pity  to  say,  have 
masses  of  romances,  novels,  light  and  injurious  read- 
ing, to  pervert  the  taste  and  poison  the  minds  of 
the  children,  and  few  or  none  of  an  instructive  and 
devotional  character. 

2.  Church  libraries^  composed  of  sound  and  sub- 
stantial works  of  general  as  well  as  of  religious  lit- 
erature, are  an  excellent  means  for  intellectual  and 
religious  instruction.  These  serve  for  adults  what 
Sunday-school  libraries  do  for  the  young.  They 
can  be  entirely  free  to  the  congregation,  or  used  at 
a  trifling  fee,  which  may  go  to  replenish  the  list. 

3.  Religious  periodicals  are,  if  possible,  still  more 
important  than  books,  not  in  their  intrinsic  worth, 
indeed,  but  because  they  are  so  much  more  easily 
obtained,  and  so  much  more  likely  to  be  read.  The 
cost  of  a  weekly  religious  paper  is  so  small  that  few 
are  too  poor  to  obtain  one,  while  its  value  in  the 
family  is  very  great.  Few  things  could  become 
so  efficient  an  auxiliary  to  a  pastor  in  his  pulpit  and 
pastoral  work  as  a  really  good  religious  paper  in 


270  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

every  family.  And  a  wise  pastor  will  see  to  it  that 
his  people  are  well  supplied  with  such  helpers;  help- 
ers both  for  them  and  him.  A  reliable  denomina- 
tional paper  should  be  in  the  home  of  every  Church 
family.  It  is  certainly  a  shame  for  Baptists  not  to 
know  what  is  going  on  among  their  own  people. 

Note  i. — An  easy  and  effective  method  of  scattering  re- 
ligious truth  in  a  community  is  by  lending  good  books  and 
periodicals  from  house  to  house,  among  those  destitute  of 
them.  Few  persons  would  refuse,  or  neglect  to  read  what 
was  kindly  loaned,  though  they  did  not  care  to  purchase,  or 
even  to  read,  if  it  were  their  own. 

Note  2. — If  churches,  or  benevolent  individuals  would 
pay  for  copies  of  papers  to  be  sent  gratuitously  to  those  un- 
able to  buy — as  some  do — they  would  do  a  good  service,  and 
one  becoming  Christian  philanthropy.  A  small  fund  could 
be  raised  for  this  purpose.  Such  seed-sowing  would  be 
blessed. 

Note  3. — Denominational  periodicals  should  be  gener- 
ously sustained,  and  widely  circulated.  They  are  maintained 
as  the  advocates  of  evangelical  truth  in  general,  but  espec- 
ially of  those  distinctive  truths,  which  are  denominationally 
cherished,  and  held  as  vitally  important,  and  which  in  this 
way  are  effectually  defended  and  propagated. 

V.      DISTINCTIVE    MISSION    WORK. 

Christianity  is  the  most  emphatic  missionary  force 
in  the  world,  and  every  Christian  Church  is  a 
divinely  appointed  missionary  society,  of  the  primi- 
tive type.  If  every  Church  were  instinct  with  the 
life  of  its  Divine  Head,  and  true  to  the  purpose  for 
which  it  was  instituted,  no  other  missionary  organiz- 


THE  church's   mission.  2/1 

ations  would  be  needed  to  send  the  Gospel  of  the 
blessed  God  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  In  apostolic 
history,  no  others  were  known,  and  yet  they  went 
everywhere  preaching  Christ,  and  filled  the  world 
with  the  Gospel  of  His  salvation. 

What  has  thus  far  been  said  as  to  the  mission  of 
the  churches,  has  had  principal  reference  to  their 
specific  but  limited  work,  in  the  fields  where  they 
are  located.  Every  Church  and  every  disciple, 
however,  is  under  bonds  to  Christ  to  aid  in  carrying 
out,  and  fulfilling  the  great  commission,  "  Go  into 
all  the  worldy  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every 
creature!'  No  Church  can  hope  for  prosperity  at 
home  unless  it  strives  to  give  the  means  of  salva- 
tion to  all  men.  He  that  waters  others  shall  him- 
self be  watered.  And  they  that  withhold  more  than 
is  meet  will  find  it  tending  to  poverty. 

It  is  a  fallacy  with  which  many  curse  themselves, 
to  say  that  they  have  hard  work  to  sustain  their 
own  Church,  and  therefore  cannot  help  others.  They 
that  withhold  from  others  who  need,  dry  up  the 
fountains  of  their  benevolence,  and  have  less  for 
themselves,  instead  of  more.  He  who  alone  can 
give  the  increase,  prospers  those  who  trust  and 
honor  Him.  The  churches  that  do  not  sympathize 
with,  and  aid  missionary  endeavor,  are  never  very 
flourishing  or  prosperous.  The  missionary  churches 
are  uniformly  the  most  honored  and  useful,  whether 
rich  or  poor,  large  or  small. 

We  have  our  missionary  societies,  for  both  home 
and  foreign   Christian   service,  in  their  various  dc 


2*J2  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

partments  doing  grand  and  most  effective  work, 
having  a  long  and  honorable  history  of  good  deeds, 
and  noble  successes.  They  possess  all  the  ap- 
pliances for  the  most  effective  and  economical 
prosecution  of  their  gracious  enterprises.  Their 
service  commands  our  confidence,  and  we  know 
their  work  is  in  harmony  with  gospel  purposes. 
The  churches  are  bound  to  give  these  societies  their 
sympathies,  their  prayers,  and  their  generous  pe- 
cuniary support.  Thereby  they  help  to  give  the 
knowledge  of  salvation  to  those  beyond  the  reach 
of  their  individual  endeavors.  The  success  which 
has  attended  the  missionary  work  of  American  Bap- 
tists, through  these  societies,  both  in  our  own  coun- 
try, and  in  foreign  lands,  is  most  amazing,  and  testifies 
unmistakably  to  God's  blessing  on  the  work,  and  the 
favor  with  which  He  regards  the  methods  pursued. 
In  all  that  is  said  or  may  be  said  it  must  be  con- 
stantly borne  in  mind  that  a  very  large  responsibil- 
ity does  and  necessarily  must  rest  on  the  pastors. 
For  such  purposes  is  the  pastor  made  overseer  of 
the  flock,  to  instruct  in  duty  as  well  as  in  privilege, 
and  lead  on  to  the  discharge  of  every  obligation. 
Few  churches  will  be  missionary  churches  if  the 
pastors  feel  no  interest  in  such  work,  and  do  not 
stimulate  them,  propose  plans,  impart  information, 
and  lead  the  people  forward.  With  a  pastor  to  do 
this  faithfully,  few  churches  would  fail  or  fall  short 
of  a  good  degree  of  effectiveness. 

Note  i. — In  most  of  our  churches  there  are  missionary 
and  other  benevolent  societies  of  various  kinds,  acting  in 


THE  church's   mission.  273 

concert  with  larger  external  societies.  The  wisdom  and  e* 
pediency  of  this  course  may  well  be  questioned.  Indeed,  it 
is  a  humiliating  confession  that  it  is  the  apathy  of  the 
churches  touching  the  objects  contemplated,  which  at  all 
justifies  the  existence  of  such  organization  within  them. 
They,  at  times,  accomplish  great  good,  and  their  intention  is 
always  good.  But  the  Church  was  instituted  by  Divine  Wis- 
dom for  these  very  purposes,  and  is  an  organization  better 
fitted  for  their  accomplishment  than  any  other  can  be. 

Note  2. — It  is  to  be  feared  that  the  churches  find  relief 
from  a  sense  of  their  legitimate  obligation,  and  throw  the  re- 
sponsibility of  benevolent  action  on  supplementary  organiza- 
tions. This  should  not  be  done.  In  such  a  case,  "  let  every 
man  bear  his  own  burden."  A  Church  cannot  alienate  its 
duties  any  more  than  its  privileges,  nor  transfer  to  others  its 
obligations,  and  still  be  guiltless. 

Note  3. — In  some  churches  there  are  so  many  interior 
organizations  that  the  Church  proper  is  well-nigh  lost  sight 
of,  covered  up  and  submerged  by  these  secondary  circles. 
This  cannot  be  wise,  nor  according  to  the  Founder's  plan. 
They  abstract  the  vitality  of  the  parent  body,  and  concen- 
trate the  active  energy  of  the  whole  around  their  specific 
parts  ;  they,  therefore,  leave  the  remainder  of  the  Church  in 
apathetic  inactivity,  as  but  the  segments  of  a  circle,  of  which 
these  societies  are  the  vital  centre. 

Note  4. — Another  difficulty,  possible  in  such  circum- 
stances, is  that  these  specific  circles  tend  to  restrict  and  localize 
benevolence,  by  confining  all  their  endeavors  each  to  one 
special  department,  overlooking  for  the  time  all  others.  It 
makes  specialists  in  good  works  of  the  members  of  each 
separate  society.  No  doubt  more  work  is  done,  and  more 
money  is  raised  for  that  one  object  by  making  it  special. 
But  whether  that  is  the  best  training,  particularly  for  young 
Christians,  is  a  question.  The  benevolence  of  the  gospel, 
and  the  impulses  of  the  new  life  are  as  broad  and  varied  as 
the  wants  of  humanity,  and  the  opportunities  offered  for  do- 
18 


2/4  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

ing  good.     The  including  whole  should  be  regarded,  while 
the  included  parts  may  be  held  in  special  remembrance. 

Note  5. — Is  there  not,  for  all  this  energy  and  working 
power — which  certainly  should  not  be  repressed  nor  discour- 
aged— a  better  way  f  If  a  Church  will  do  nothing  for  mis- 
sions, or  any  other  Christian  work,  except  poorly  to  sustain 
its  own  languid  life,  let  those  who  feel  impelled  to  do  more, 
instead  of  forming  a  separate  organization  for  the  purpose, 
labor  to  inspire  the  pastor  and  other  members  with  their 
own  enthusiasm,  and  if  they  cannot  be  moved,  then  let  them 
go  to  work  personally,  with  agreement  but  without  organiza- 
tion ;  do  what  they  can  to  stimulate  others  ;  raise  what 
money  they  can  for  the  purpose  ;  make  a  report  of  their  do- 
ings, at  the  close  of  a  prayer-meeting  ;  seek  the  cooperation 
of  others,  and  continue  this  course  for  a  while.  It  would  not 
be  long  before  the  whole  body,  instead  of  a  fraction  of  it, 
would  be  interested  and  moved  to  recognize  the  need,  and 
work  for  it. 

VI.      MORAL   REFORM   SOCIETIES. 

What  relation  does  a  Church  sustain  to  the  vari- 
ous reformatory  movements,  supported  by  organiza- 
tions which  contemplate  the  suppression  of  specific 
vices,  and  the  confirmation  of  specific  virtues,  but 
which  are  not  expressly  religious  in  their  purpose  t 
Such  societies  exist  for  the  suppression  of  intemper- 
ance, Sabbath-breaking,  gambling,  licentiousness, 
and  other  vicious  and  corrupting  practices. 

A  Church  is  a  society  emphatically  for  the  sup- 
pression of  all  vice  and  for  the  encouragement  of 
all  virtue.  And  no  person  should  be  admitted  to, 
or  retained  in,  its  fellowship  who  will  not  both  agree 
to,  and  walk  by,  this  rule.  If  the  churches  were  loyal 


THE   church's   mission.  275 

to  their  duty,  and  true  to  their  mission,  they  could 
do  more  for  the  suppression  of  immoralities  than 
any  other  organization.  But,  as  it  is,  no  doubt 
some  forms  of  moral  evil  can  be  better  antagonized 
by  distinct  organizations,  where  all  are  of  one  mind 
concerning  the  object  to  be  accomplished.  The 
confession  must  be  made,  however  mortifying,  that 
in  some  churches  there  are  members,  who,  for  per- 
sonal reasons,  do  not  like  to  hear  much  said  on  the 
temperance  question,  and  some  ministers  there  are 
who  lack  courage  to  say  much  on  it;  while  the  souls 
of  others  burn  with  zeal  to  do  something  to  suppress 
the  fearful  evils  of  intemperance. 

Since  churches,  as  such,  cannot  identify  them- 
selves organically  with  other  societies,  they  should 
in  every  consistent  way  give  their  moral  support  to 
encourage  such  endeavors,  as  well  as  pray  for  their 
success.  All  that  any  moral  society  professes,  the 
Church  professes;  and  the  Church  professes  more 
— not  only  to  conserve  the  morals  of  society,  but  to 
save  the  souls  of  men.  Only  let  them  be  true  to 
their  profession.  They  can  well  give  their  *'  God 
speed  "  to  every  individual,  and  to  every  organiza- 
tion which  honestly  strives  to  do  good  in  the  world. 

Note  i. — It  is  often  a  serious  question,  how  far  a  Church 
member  may  consistently  identify  himself  with  societies 
whose  object  is  the  suppression  of  prevailing  moral  evils. 
Certain  it  is  that  every  Christian  should  encourage,  and,  so 
far  as  practicable,  aid  every  good  enterprise.  It  is  equally 
certain  that  no  Church  member  should  favor  any  alliance  with 
outside  associations,  however  good  their  intent,  which  will 


2^(>  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

interfere  with  his  most  faithful  performance  of  duty  in  the 
Church.  There  his  first  service  is  due.  The  claims  of  the 
Church  are  paramount  and  imperative.  The  man  who  can 
be  false  to  his  Church,  while  he  is  faithful  to  other  fraterni- 
ties, shows  how  unworthy  he  is  to  bear  the  Christian  name. 

Note  2. — The  moral  reform  societies  are  not  inimical  to 
Christianity  or  to  the  churches  ;  certainly  not  so  far  as  their 
objects  are  concerned,  whatever  unwise  and  fanatical  mem- 
bers may  sometimes  affect  to  be.  With  many  mistakes  they 
have  done  great  good,  and  will  do  much  more.  With  the 
prevailing  indifference,  on  the  part  of  churches,  to  these 
moral  issues.  Christian  men  can  often  work  more  hopefully 
through  them,  than  in  any  other  way. 

Note  3. — As  to  the  propriety  of  Church  members  connect- 
ing themselves  with  secret  societies,  this  is  to  be  said  :  that 
whether  such  societies  be  good  or  bad  in  themselves,  all  the 
advantages  they  propose  can  be  obtained  in  less  objection- 
able ways,  since  on  the  part  of  many  there  are  strong  objec- 
tions to  them.  It  is  not  a  Christian  act  to  grieve  brethren 
for  the  sake  of  some  slight  personal  gratification.  To  minis- 
ters of  Christ  this  reason  applies  with  double  force.  Why 
they  should  wish  to  be  identified  with  secret  organizations  it 
is  impossible  to  see.  Such  a  step  seems  quite  beneath  the 
dignity  of  the  high  office  of  the  heralds  of  salvation.  Their 
company  is,  of  course,  earnestly  sought  for  to  grace  these 
secret  conclaves,  but  why  should  men  in  such  positions  de- 
sire to  hold  offices  with  high-sounding  titles  though  with 
empty  honors,  or  with  childish  vanity  wish  to  be  decked  out 
with  tinsel  and  showy  trappings  }  Christian  ministers  should 
possess  a  holier  ambition.  Oath-bound  societies  of  all 
kinds  should  be  greatly  deprecated  by  Christian  men. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE   CHRISTIAN   MINISTRY. 

Few  questions  can  be  so  vitally  important  to  any 
Church,  whether  as  relates  to  its  own  peace  and 
prosperity,  or  to  the  success  of  the  work  it  is  ap- 
pointed to  do,  as  that  of  the  kind  of  ministry  which 
shall  serve  and  lead  it. 

No  greater  blessing  can  be  granted  of  Heaven  to  a 
Church  than  a  capable,  judicious,  pious  pastor;  and 
no  greater  calamity  can  befall  one  than  to  have  an 
incompetent,  unfaithful,  secularized,  and  worldly 
minded  minister.  The  people  naturally  contemplate 
the  office  with  feelings  of  reverence,  and  conse- 
quently regard  the  incumbent  with  very  great  def- 
erence, to  say  the  least.  The  young,  in  a  special 
manner,  consider  what  he  says  as  true,  and  what  he 
does  as  right.  The  position  commands  high  regard, 
for  the  minister  is  looked  upon  not  only  as  a  teacher, 
but  as  an  example.  He  is,  therefore,  accepted  as 
the  one  who  is  to  illustrate,  by  his  private  walk  and 
public  deportment,  the  doctrines  and  morals  which 
he  inculcates  from  the  pulpit. 

The  old  prophet's  declaration,  "like  people,  like 
priest,"  is  as  true   now  as  when   Hosea  uttered  it. 


2^%  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

For  where  the  people  have  freedom  of  choice,  and 
select  their  own  pastors,  they  will  choose  them  on 
the  plane  of  their  own  religious  thinking  and  acting. 
Moreover,  there  is  a  constant  tendency,  on  the  part 
of  the  preacher,  to  keep  somewhere  near  the  stand- 
ard of  the  people.  It  requires  a  heroic  effort  for  the 
pulpit  to  rise  far  above  the  level  of  the  pews,  as  to 
Christian  teaching  and  consecration,  and  he  who 
long  sustains  himself  in  that  position  may  expect, 
sooner  or  later,  to  hear  the  mutterings  of  dis- 
content. But  then,  contradictory  as  it  may  seem  to 
be,  the  converse  of  the  prophet's  epigram  is  equally 
true:  "like  priest,  like  people."  Indeed,  this  is  the 
form  in  which  the  proverb  is  usually  quoted  by  the 
laity,  as  a  salient  thrust  at  an  unfaithful  or  incompe- 
tent pastor,  supposing  they  are  quoting  Scripture. 
The  implication  is,  that  if  the  Church  is  not  right, 
it  is  the  fault  of  the  pastor.  To  a  large  extent  this 
may  be  true,  and  the  censure  just.  For,  to  a  large 
extent,  by  faithful,  judicious,  and  persistent  en- 
deavor, a  godly  pastor  can  mould  and  win  the 
Church  to  a  higher  standard.  To  that  extent  will 
the  spirit  of  all-powerful  grace  work  with  him  and 
for  him,  while  an  unworthy  and  carnally  minded 
man  in  the  pulpit  will  surely  degrade  and  lower  the 
standard  of  piety  among  his  people  to  somewhere 
near  his  own. 

The  old  prophets — notably  Jeremiah — represented 
the  people  of  Israel  under  the  similitude  of  a  flock, 
led,  and  fed,  and  guarded  by  shepherds,  called  pas- 
tors.  It  was  a  promise  of  peculiar  favor  by  Jehovah, 


THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY.  279 

that  He  would  give  them  pastors  after  His  own 
heart;  while  the  lamentation  over  some  of  their  heav- 
iest calamities  was,  that  the  shepherds  destroyed 
the  flock,  and  fed  themselves  instead.  The  same 
figure  Jesus  used  when  He  declared  Himself  to  be 
the  Good  Shepherd  that  gave  His  life  for  the  sheep. 
The  relationship  between  pastor  and  people  is  inti- 
mate, vital,  and  sacred:  Woe  to  the  churches  and 
the  cause  of  Christian  truth,  when  they  have  not  a 
faithful,  capable,  and  spiritual  ministry! 

Christian  congregations  under  the  control  of  State- 
churchism,  or  subject  to  ecclesiastical  domination, 
cannot  choose  their  own  pastors,  but  receive  such 
as  are  sent  them.  All  the  currents  of  religious  life 
stagnate  under  such  a  system.  It  is  one  of  the  first 
and  most  important  fruits  of  religious  liberty  and 
Church  independency,  that  congregations  of  Chris- 
tian worshipers  can  elect  their  own  religious  teach- 
ers. They  may  make  mistakes,  but  they  insist  on 
the  right,  and  they  will  not  willingly  submit  to  the 
dictation  or  control  of  others  in  this  regard,  either 
from  civil  or  ecclesiastical  authority.  This  is  a  point 
Baptists  have  always  emphasized,  maintaining  this 
as  well  as  other  expressions  of  religious  freedom 
for  the  individual  Church. 

The  ministry  is  of  divine  appointment,  and  its 
purpose  is  to  instruct  and  edify  the  Church,  and  to 
bear  the  knowledge  of  salvation  abroad  to  the 
world.  As  a  means  and  medium  of  spiritual  good 
to  men,  the  Gospel  ministry  stands  preeminent;  it 
is  without   a   parallel  among  beneficent  agencies. 


280  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Every  true  disciple  is  under  obligation  to  preach 
the  Gospel  according  to  his  ability  and  opportunity; 
but  the  economy  of  grace  anticipated  the  need  of 
special  leaders  and  teachers  for  the  congregations  of 
the  saints,  and  the  Spirit  of  God  moves  on  and  fits  cer- 
tain men  for  the  work,  while  the  providence  of  God 
develops  and  calls  forth  their  ministry.  It  is  all  under 
the  direction  of  the  chief  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  souls, 
who  sends  among  His  people  the  under-shepherds. 
This  work  He  began  while  among  men.  He  "  or- 
dained twelve,  that  they  should  be  with  Him,  and 
that  He  might  send  them  forth  to  preach." — Mark 
3  :  14.  Also,  *'  After  these  things,  the  Lord  ap- 
pointed other  seventy  also,  and  sent  them  two  and 
two  before  His  face  into  every  city  and  place, 
whither  He  Himself  would  come." — Luke  10  :  i. 
And  His  final  instructions,  as  He  was  about  leav- 
ing them,  were:  ''  Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all 
nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father 
and  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  teaching  them 
to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded 
you,  and  lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the 
end  of  the  world.     Amen." — Matt.  28  :  19,  20. 

I.      HOW   THE   MINISTRY   ORIGINATES. 

Does  the  ministry  grow  out  of  the  churches,  or 
the  churches  out  of  the  ministry  ?  These  are  ques- 
tions which  require  thoughtful  care  to  answer  cor- 
rectly. Which  is  first  in  the  order  of  time,  and  ac- 
cording to  the  genius  of  the  Gospel  ? 


THE   CHRISTIAN    MINISTRY.  28 1 

Where  the  Gospel  is  proclaimed,  converts  will  be 
made  and  churches  will  arise.  Converts  will  asso- 
ciate, will  assimilate,  will  aggregate,  and  so  become 
churches.  These  are  the  sheaves  brought  together 
on  the  harvest  field,  and  bound  in  bundles  for  the 
Master's  use;  the  fruit  of  the  seed-sowing.  Also, 
where  there  are  churches  a  ministry  will  be  devel- 
oped. Jesus  preached  the  Gospel  of  the  kingdom, 
and  disciples  were  gathered — gathered  and  assimi- 
lated, and  held  together  as  a  band  by  the  attraction 
of  His  personal  presence  and  influence.  A  Church, 
we  may  say,  inchoate  and  unorganized;  but  still,  to 
all  intents  and  purposes,  an  ekklesia,  called  out 
from  the  world  and  concentred  about  Himself  The 
centripetal  force  of  their  fellowship  did  not  die  with 
His  removal  from  among  them.  They  kept  together 
after  His  death,  and  especially  after  His  resurrec- 
tion. At  the  Pentecost  the  number  of  converts  in- 
creased, under  the  preaching  of  Peter,  by  the  power 
of  the  Spirit;  the  Church  became  more  clearly  de- 
veloped, and  more  definitely  organized.  With  the 
increase  of  the  Church  the  ministers  increased, 
until,  not  very  long  after,  on  the  breaking  out  of 
persecution,  they  went  everywhere,  preaching  Christ. 
Heralds  of  the  glad  tidings  were  multiplied;  they 
were  begotten  of  the  Spirit  and  born  of  the  Church 
in  such  abundance  as  the  occasion  required. 

Thus  has  it  ever  been,  and  thus  must  it  ever  be. 
Our  ascended  Christ  furnishes  for  the  churches,  and 
from  the  churches,  the  only  true  Gospel  ministry. 
They  are  not  by  natural   descent  of  one  appointed 


282  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

lineage,  as  was  the  Aaronic  priesthood,  from  the 
loins  of  Levi — born  with  a  prescriptive  right  to  the 
sacred  office.  They  are  not  to  be  assigned  by  either 
civil  or  ecclesiastical  establishments  to  the  **cure 
of  souls,"  with  only  a  perfunctory  knowledge  of,  and 
fitness  for,  the  place.  '*  When  He  ascended  on  high 
He  led  captivity  captive,  and  gave  gifts  to  men. 
He  gave  some  apostles,  and  some  prophets,  and 
some  evangelists,  and  some  pastors  and  teach- 
ers."— Eph.  4:8,  II.  These  were  Christ's  "ascen- 
sion gifts  "  to  His  churches,  and  these  He  continues 
to  bestow,  in  one  form  or  another,  on  the  churches 
and  the  world. 

II.      CLERGY   AND   LAITY   NOT   PRIMITIVE. 

It  is  well  to  bear  in  mind  that  the  distinction 
which  has  for  ages  prevailed  in  Christian  society 
between  clergy  and  laity  is  not  primitive;  was  not 
known  in  the  apostolic  age.  There  was  an  apos- 
tleship  and  a  discipleship,  but  no  clerical  caste, 
separated  by  a  wide  gulf  of  sacramental  ordination 
from  the  common  people.  The  Holy  Spirit  work- 
ing in  each  believer  developed  those  gracious  quali- 
ties which  were  profitable  to  the  edifying  of  the 
body  of  Christ.  All  alike  constituted  a  holy  and  a 
royal  priesthood,  "ordained  to  offer  spiritual  sacri- 
fices unto  God."  The  churches  chose  for  their  pas- 
tors and  teachers  such  of  their  own  members  as 
exhibited  the  needed  qualities  which  fitted  them  for 
the  positions. 


THE   CHRISTIAN   MINISTRY.  283 

Dr.  Bloomfield  says : 

"  But  when,  in  the  next  generation  [after  the  first],  it  was 
thought  expedient  that  presbyters  should  be  confined  to 
their  sacred  duties,  and  kept  apart  from  all  secular  occupa- 
tions— which,  by  the  way,  occasioned  the  two  classes  of 
clergy  and  laity — then  ordination  would  become  a  much 
more  solemn  affair." — Com,  on  Acts,  14: 2j. 

Dean  Stanley  says: 

"  In  the  first  beginnings  of  Christianity  there  was  no  such 
institution  as  the  clergy;  and  it  is  conceivable  there  may  be 
a  time  when  they  shall  cease  to  be." — Christian  Institutions^ 
p.  173.    N.  Y.,  ed.  1 88 I. 

Dr.  Coleman  says : 

"  There  was  then  no  such  distinction  between  clergymen 
and  laymen."  "They  were  all  equally  the  priests  of  God." 
"The  first  instance  of  the  distinction  of  the  clergy  and  laity, 
as  separate  orders  of  men  in  the  Christian  Church,  occurs  in 
Tertullian,  at  the  beginning  of  the  third  century." — Ancient 
Christ.  Ex.,  pp.  gj-ioy 

Gieseler  says : 

"  There  was  yet  [in  the  apostolic  age]  no  distinct  order  of 
clergy,  for  the  whole  society  of  Christians  was  a  royal  priest- 
hood."—Cy^.  Hist.,  Vol.  I.,  p.  38. 

SCHAFF  says : 

"  The  Jewish  and  the  Catholic  antithesis  of  clergy  and 
laity  has  no  place  in  the  apostolic  age." — Hist.  Christ.  Ch., 
Vol.  I.,  p.  131. 

Fisher  says : 

"  The  basis  of  ecclesiastical  organization  was  the  fraternal 
equality  of  believers.     '  All  ye  are  brethren.'     Instead  of  a 


284  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

sacerdotal  order,  there  was  a  universal  priesthood." — Hist, 
Ch.  Church,  p.  jj. 

RiGALTius,  Salmasius,  Selden,  and  others, 

assert  the  same  as  cited  by  Bingham,  who  finds  the  ear^ 
liest  historical  evidence  of  the  distinction  of  clergy  and  laity 
in  the  third  century  after  Christ. — Ancient  Christ.  Ch.,  B. 
/.,  chap.  3. 

III.      THE   PURPOSE   OF    THE   MINISTRY. 

The  general  purpose  contemplated  by  the  ap- 
pointment and  sustenance  of  an  ofificial  ministry  in 
the  churches  is  clearly  enough  defined  in  the  popu- 
lar mind,  and  well  enough  understood  by  the  pre- 
vailing customs  of  religious  society  :  to  shepherd 
the  flock,  to  instruct  congregations  in  religious  truth, 
and  guide  the  churches  as  to  internal  order  and  the 
practical  activities  of  Christian  life.  But,  to  be  more 
specific,  it  may  be  said  the  ministerial  purpose  is 
twofold :  the  edification  of  saints  and  the  conver- 
sion of  sinners.  Or,  to  reverse,  and  perhaps  make 
more  natural  the  order,  the  conversion  of  men,  and 
then  their  instruction  and  upbuilding  in  the  faith  of 
the  Gospel.  Thus  did  Jesus,  in  His  farewell  injunc- 
tion, command  His  disciples  to  go  forth,  preach  the 
Gospel,  disciple  men,  baptize  them,  and  then  teach 
them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  He  had  com- 
manded them. 

Not  infrequently  extremists  are  heard  to  say  that 
there  is  nothing  comparable  to  the  conversion  of 
souls;  that  is  the  one  great  object  of  preaching.     It 


THE  CHRISTIAN   MINISTRY.  2S5 

is  allowed  to  be  one  great  object,  but  not  the  only 
one  to  the  exclusion  of  the  other.  Both  should  be 
constantly  sought,  and  devotion  to  one  does  not 
exclude  the  other.  It  is  quite  supposable  that  God 
may  be  as  much  glorified  and  the  world  as  much 
blessed  by  the  development  of  character,  the  en- 
largement of  graces,  and  the  increase  of  good  works 
on  the  part  of  believers,  as  by  the  addition  of  con- 
verts. Read  the  epistles  to  the  churches,  and  see 
how  much  is  said  about  edifying  the  body  of  Christ; 
about  growth  in  grace;  about  perfecting  the  saints 
in  holiness;  about  being  filled  with  the  Spirit.  The 
truth  is,  when  Christians  are  living  in  the  fullness  of 
the  blessing  of  the  Gospel,  and  exhibiting  the  life 
of  Christ,  sinners  will  be  converted.  The  ministry 
will  be  crowned  with  divine  success. 

There  is  a  passage  in  Paul's  Epistle  to  the  Ephe- 
sians  on  this  subject,  the  force  and  comprehensive- 
ness of  which  is  only  equaled  by  the  beauty  of  its 
diction,  and  the  vivid  imagery  employed.  After 
saying  that  Christ  gave  gifts,  some  to  be  apostles, 
prophets,  evangelists,  pastors  and  teachers,  he 
states  for  what  purpose  these  gifts  were  bestowed; 
namely,  ''  For  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of 
Christ :  till  we  attain  unto  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and 
of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  full- 
grown  man,  unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the 
fullness  of  Christ."— Eph.  4  :  12,  13.  How  grand 
the  conception  of  an  advancing  Christian  growth, 
under  the  culture  of  pastors  and  teachers,  even  to 


2&6  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

the  attainment  ofa"  perfect  man;"  not  a  perfect 
angel,  but  a  perfected  humanity  in  Christ !  How 
sublime  the  upward  sweep  of  Christian  develop- 
ment, from  the  inchoate  believer  in  the  infancy  of  his 
new  life,  along  all  the  planes  of  development,  until 
finally  the  full  purpose  is  realized  in  the  ''  measure 
of  the  stature  of  the/?/ Ihiess  of  Christ !  " 

IV.      A   CALL   TO   THE   MINISTRY. 

If  the  spiritual  life  of  the  churches  is  to  be  main- 
tained, and  the  power  of  godliness  to  be  preserved, 
a  divme  call  to  the  work  of  the  ministry  must  be  in- 
sisted on  by  the  Churches. 

It  is  not  enough  that  a  man — young  or  old — has 
piety,  and  ability,  and  education;  that  he  possesses 
a  facility  in  the  use  of  language,  and  can  address  a 
congregation  with  ease  and  interest,  both  to  himself 
and  to  them.  Nor  is  it  enough  that  he  has  an  ear- 
nest desire  to  do  good.  All  this  maybe,  and  yet  he 
may  not  be  called  to  the  sacred  office.  All  these 
are  important,  but  not  of  themselves  sufficient.  It 
must  not  be  the  mere  choice  of  a  profession;  nor 
the  dictate  of  an  ambition  which  looks  to  the  pulpit 
as  a  desirable  arena  for  achieving  distinction,  nor 
even  as  the  best  field  for  usefulness.  Nor  must  it 
be  a  yielding  to  the  opinions  or  persuasions  of  over- 
partial,  but,  it  may  be,  injudicious  friends.  A  true 
call  to  the  work  of  the  ministry  must  rest  on  more 
solid  ground  than  any  or  all  of  these  evidences. 

"  No  man  taketh  this  honor  unto  himself;    but  he 


THE  CHRISTIAN   MINISTRY.  2&f 

that  is  called  of  God,  as  was  Aaron." — Heb.  5  : 4, 
He  that  would  lawfully  enter  upon  this  work  must 
do  it  from  a  deep,  abiding  and  unalterable  conviction, 
wrought  into  his  soul  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  such 
is  the  will  of  God  concerning  him;  and  that  noth- 
ing else  is,  or  can  be,  the  work  of  his  life,  whether  it 
may  bring  joy  or  sorrow,  prosperity  or  adversity. 
He  that  can  follow  any  other  pursuit  or  profession 
with  a  peaceful  mind,  and  a  conscience  void  of  of- 
fense, should  never  enter  the  ministry.  This  inward 
movement  and  monition  of  the  Spirit  does  not  cease 
with  a  single  impression,  nor  subside  with  a  single 
occasion;  but  it  continues  usually  through  weeks 
and  months,  and  perhaps  years,  holding  the  mind 
to  this  one  conviction;  not  always  continuously,  but 
from  time  to  time,  calling  it  back  from  all  other  pur- 
poses and  plans  to  this  conviction  of  duty. 

As  this  conviction  of  duty  is  slowly  working  its 
way  into  the  soul,  various  emotions  are  excited. 
Not  unfrequently  the  mind  revolts  at  what  seems 
the  inevitable  conclusion,  and  sometimes  violently 
rebels  against  it.  The  thoughts  of  unfitness  for  the 
work;  the  apparent  impossibility  of  being  able  to 
secure  the  proper  qualifications;  the  fact  that  many 
cherished  plans  for  life,  which  seem  to  promise 
more  of  pleasure  and  of  profit,  must  be  abandoned; 
and,  what  to  some  minds  with  noble  instincts  is 
most  of  all  humiliating  and  painful,  that  if  one  en- 
ters the  ministry  he  must  become  dependent  on 
others,  in  a  certain  sense,  for  his  living,  and  subject 
to  their   caprices  in   many   ways   for   his  comfort ; 


288  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

the  temptation  to  sink  his  personal  independence, 
so  as  not  to  antagonize  the  opinions  of  his  hearers, 
and  to  modify  messages  of  truth,  rather  than  offend 
the  ignorance  or  the  prejudices  of  those  on  whom 
he  is  dependent,  to  an  over-sensitive  nature  become 
difficulties  of  no  ordinary  magnitude.  But  through 
it  all  the  Spirit  holds  the  mind  true  to  its  destiny, 
until  at  length  it  submits,  silences  every  objection, 
sacrifices  every  consideration,  accepts  every  con- 
dition, and  yields  implicit  obedience  to  the  divine 
call.  Then  a  new  peace  fills  the  soul,  and  light 
from  a  new  horizon  irradiates  all  its  sphere. 

The  evidences  of  this  divine  call  are  various.  The 
most  convincing  is  that  just  named,  where  the  Spirit 
works  the  ever-deepening  conviction  into  the  soul, 
that  it  must  be  so.  Another  sign  is  that  the  mind 
is  being  led  into  a  fruitful  contemplation  of  the 
Scriptures,  whose  spirit  and  meaning,  whose  deep 
and  rich  treasures  of  truth  are  unfolded  and  made 
plain  to  an  unusual  degree.  An  increasing  facility 
of  utterance  in  addressing  religious  meetings,  es- 
pecially when  attempting  to  explain  and  enforce 
particular  portions  of  the  word,  is  another  evidence. 
This,  however,  is  not  uniform,  owing  to  many 
causes.  For  sometimes,  instead  of  joyous  liberty, 
every  thing  seems  dark  and  confined.  Particular 
cases,  either  on  the  one  side  or  the  other,  are  not 
so  much  to  influence  the  judgment  as  the  general 
trend  and  current  of  these  tokens.  Still  more,  if  one 
has  been  divinely  called  to  this  work,  there  will 
soon  rise  a  conviction  of  the  fact  in  the  minds  of 


THE   CHRISTIAN   MINISTRY.  289 

pious  and  prayerful  people.  All  truly  spiritual 
saints  are,  in  a  sense,  prophets  to  discern  spiritual 
things.  If  they  be  interested  in,  and  profited  by, 
the  exercise  of  such  gifts,  that  fact  itself  goes  far  to 
establish  the  call. 

And  further:  if  one  be  divinely  called  to  preach 
the  Gospel,  Providence  will  open  such  ways  of 
needed  preparation  for  the  work,  as  may  be  best  in 
the  circumstances.  Precisely  what  that  fitting 
preparation  may  be,  it  is  impossible  here  to  tell.  It 
should  be  the  best  that  can  be  secured.  But  there  is 
a  great  variety  of  fields,  and  of  conditions  of  work, 
and  an  equal  variety  of  ability,  and  of  intellectual 
preparation  is  needed  to  fill  them.  There  may  be 
difficulties  in  the  way;  but  let  not  the  young  man 
who  believes  himself  called  to  this  service,  be  im- 
patient, nor  too  hasty.  Let  him  "wait  on  the  Lord," 
observe  the  indications  of  Providence,  and  not  run 
before  he  is  sent.  Our  Lord  Himself  waited  in  pa- 
tient preparation  till  He  was  thirty  years  of  age,  be- 
fore entering  upon  His  public  ministry;  and  that, 
too,  when  He  was  to  have  but  three  short  years  of 
active  service  afterward.  Let  the  young  man  im- 
prove his  gifts  as  occasion  offers,  and  wait;  sooner 
or  later  he  will  become  satisfied,  as  will  also  his 
brethren,  whether  or  not  he  is  called  to  preach. 

AoTE  I . — It  is  not  an  evidence  of  a  call  to  the  ministry,  that 
the  heart  sets  itself  in  persistent  rebelHon  against  the  moni- 
tions of  the  Spirit.  So  commonly  is  this  resistance  to  the 
gracious  movement  felt,  that  some  seem  to  think  they  lack 
good  evidence  of  such  a  call,  unless  they  stoutly  fight  against 
19 


296  THE   NEW   DIRECtORV. 

God.  On  the  other  hand,  some  of  the  most  devout  and  use- 
ful men  in  the  ministry  did  most  earnestly  desire  the  sacred 
office,  though  feeling  themselves  unworthy  of  it,  and  unfit- 
ted for  it.  Paul  said,  "  If  a  man  desire  the  office  of  a  bishop, 
he  desireth  a  good  work." 

Note  2. — Any  man  whom  God  has  not  called  to  that 
work,  will  find  the  pulpit  the  most  difficult  and  disastrous  of 
all  positions,  and  the  work  of  the  ministry  the  most  irk- 
some and  uncongenial.  No  hope  of  gratifying  a  carnal  am- 
bition, no  expectation  of  praise  for  learning  or  eloquence 
can  mitigate  the  uncongenial  burden  of  a  service  in  which 
the  heart  is  not  enlisted. 

Note  3. — Young  men  exercised  on  this  point,  as  to  the 
choice  of  the  ministry,  should  not  attach  too  much  impor- 
tance to  the  flattering  encouragements  of  ardent,  and  over- 
partial  friends,  whose  judgments  may  not  be  as  sound  as 
their  impulses  are  generous.  Nor,  on  the  other  hand,  should 
they  be  too  much  discouraged,  if  any  throw  stumbling-blocks 
in  their  way.  Let  them  carefully  weigh  all  things,  pray  for 
divine  direction,  and  decide  the  question  according  to  their 
best  light. 

V.      THE   PERPETUITY   OF   ITS   OBLIGATIONS. 


Is  the  obligation  involved  in  a  divine  call  of  per- 
petual force  ?  Or  may  a  man  called  to  that  work 
leave  it  for  some  other  profession  or  calling  at  his 
option  ?  Is  a  man  **  once  a  priest,  always  a  priest"? 
Or  may  there  be  a  demission  of  sacerdotal  functions  ? 

This  is  a  question  in  which  our  churches  have  not 
so  much  interest  as  men  already  in,  and  candidates 
for,  the  office  most  naturally  have.  It  is,  however, 
admitted  almost  universally  by  evangelical  Chris- 
tians, that  such  a  call  is  of  perpetual  obligation.     It 


THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY.  29 1 

is  manifest  that  if  divine  authority  puts  a  man  into 
the  ministry,  the  same  authority  is  requisite  to  direct, 
or  give  permission  for  him  to  leave  it  and  enter 
upon  some  other  work.  There  are,  no  doubt,  men 
in  the  ministry  who  never  ought  to  have  entered  it, 
and  who  would  confer  the  greatest  possible  benefit 
on  the  churches  and  the  cause  by  leaving  it.  There 
are  doubtless  many  instances  in  which  men  are  in- 
capacitated by  sickness,  or  other  causes,  for  a  dis- 
charge of  its  duties.  Providence  clearly  indicates 
that  such  should  seek  some  other  sphere  of  service, 
where  they  can  still  be  useful,  and  yet  secure  sup- 
port for  a  dependent  family.  In  such  cases  of  mani- 
fest necessity,  temporary  diversion  from  exclusive 
ministerial  labor  would  be  not  only  permissible  but 
commendable,  and  perhaps  even  imperative. 

But  young  men,  looking  to  this  calling,  should  re- 
gard it  as  a  life-long  service,  and  not  consider  a 
change  to  a  more  lucrative  or  less  laborious  pursuit  as  a 
possible  contingency.  Providential  causes  may  arise 
where  temporarily  the  active  duties  of  the  ministry 
— especially  of  the  pastorate — may  be  remitted,  to 
be  resumed  when  the  obstacles  are  removed.  But 
how  one,  who  believes  himself  called  of  God  to 
preach  the  Gospel,  can  quietly  and  conscientiously 
devote  himself  to  other  callings,  secular  or  semi- 
secular,  without  such  providential  compulsion,  it  is 
difficult  to  understand.  And  there  are  many  of 
our  ministers,  men  of  sound  health,  and  ability  for 
usefulness,  who  have  abandoned  pastoral  service  for 
these  side  issues;  positions  for  which  laymen  would 


292  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

be  quite  as  competent,  and  often  better  fitted.  It  is 
not  a  sufficient  answer  to  say  that  these  posts  are 
important  and  useful  spheres  of  service.  All  that 
may  be  true,  and  they  may  have  peculiar  qualifica- 
tions for  the  places,  but  it  was  not  for  these,  or  such 
as  these,  they  professed  to  have  been  called,  and  to 
which  they  were  ordained  and  set  apart.  If  they 
were  mistaken  in  their  original  purpose,  it  is  well 
they  have  made  a  change. 

Note  4. — The  question  may  arise,  How  far  is  it  allowable 
for  a  minister  to  engage  in  outside  work  for  the  sake  of  added 
gain,  while  holding  a  pastorate  and  receiving  a  salary  from 
the  people?  Though  no  general  answer  can  be  given  that 
would  meet  every  case,  yet  it  is  safe  to  say  that  no  outside 
work  should  be  engaged  in  that  will  in  anyway  interfere  with 
a  full  and  faithful  discharge  of  his  duties  to  the  Church  and 
congregation  of  his  charge.  If  they  give  him  a  respectable 
support  he  should  devote  his  best  energies  to  them. 

NoTF  5. — But  it  often  happens  in  small  and  feeble  congre- 
gations, especially  in  frontier  settlements  and  rural  districts, 
that  congregations  cannot — or  think  they  cannot — support  a 
pastor,  and  he  is  obliged  to  supplement  a  scanty  salary  from 
other  sources.  This  is  right  not  only,  but  most  commend- 
able in  such  cases.  It  should,  however,  be  done  not  for 
gain,  but  iov godliness,  that  he  may  be  the  better  enabled  to 
preach  the  Gospel,  and  give  his  family  the  comforts  of  life. 
Paul  worked  at  his  trade  of  tent-making,  that  he  might  the 
better  b^  able  to  preach  Christ. 

VL      THE   SPHERE   OF   MINISTERIAL   LABOR. 

A  minister  is  not  necessarily  a  pastor.  If  a  min- 
ister have  not  a  pastoral  charge,  to  whatever  field 


THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY.  293 

he  may  be  designated,  there  lies  his  first  and  chief 
obligation  for  service.  If  he  be  a  pastor,  his  Church, 
and  congregation,  and  the  community  about  him 
constitute  his  principal  sphere  of  ministerial  labor. 
To  neglect  them  would  be  disloyalty  to  his  Church, 
and  to  his  Lord.  Unless  that  be  cultivated  with  fi- 
delity, zeal,  and  a  good  degree  of  devotion,  he  need 
not  expect  any  great  amount  of  success.  Nor  yet 
need  he  expect  that  his  work  will  be  greatly  appre- 
ciated, or  widely  demanded.  He  should,  however, 
countenance  and  aid,  to  the  extent  of  his  ability, 
every  good  word  and  work,  consistently  with  his 
duties  to  his  own  people.  His  nature  should  vibrate 
in  sympathy  with  all  endeavors  made  to  ameliorate 
the  sufferings  of  humanity,  to  suppress  vice,  and  ele- 
vate virtue  everywhere.  He  should  stand  the  friend 
and  abettor  of  missions,  temperance,  and  of  every 
virtue  which  the  Gospel  inculcates  and  promotes. 
He  would  be  unfaithful  to  his  holy  trust,  should  he 
stand  quietly  by,  without  a  hand  to  help  in  giving 
the  means  of  salvation  to  the  world,  for  which  Christ 
died;  should  he  remain  unmoved  amidst  the  ravages 
of  sin,  and  not  strive  to  withstand  them;  should  he 
be  indifferent  to  the  ignorance  of  a  world  lying  in 
wickedness,  and  not  labor  for  its  enlightenment. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  pastors  can,  in  special 
emergencies,  render  needed  and  valuable  aid  to 
other  pastors  in  times  of  great  discouragement  or 
of  special  religious  interest.  Other  occasions  will 
arise  when  incidental  aid  can  be  rendered  a  good 
cause  outside  the  limits  of  his  ordinary  duties,  with- 


294  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

out  injury  to  other  interests.  And  yet  the  apostolic 
injunction  must  continue  to  be  the  pastor's  guide: 
*'  Take  heed  unto  yourselves,  and  to  all  the  flock, 
over  which  the  Holy  Spirit  hath  made  you  over- 
seers; to  feed  the  Church  of  God,  which  He  hath 
purchased  with  His  own  blood." — Acts  20  :  28. 

VII.      THE    SOURCE   OF    MINISTERIAL    AUTHORITY. 

Whence  does  the  minister  derive  his  authority  for 
the  exercise  of  ministerial  functions  ?  For  preach- 
ing, administering  the  ordinances,  and  other  pre- 
rogatives .''  **For  no  man  taketh  this  honor  unto 
himself" — Heb.  5  :  4. 

Whence  is  it  then  }  Not  from  the  Church,  for  no 
Church  holds  in  itself  any  such  authority  to  bestow. 
Not  from  a  Council,  since  councils  possess  no  ec- 
clesiastical authority.  Not  from  the  State,  for  the 
State  has  no  right  of  interference  in  matters  of  faith 
and  conscience,  and  possesses  no  control  over,  or 
authority  in,  ecclesiastical  affairs.  The  minister, 
therefore,  derives  his  credentials  as  a  preacher  of 
righteousness,  and  the  right  to  minister  as  a  priest 
in  spiritual  services  from  no  human  source,  but  di- 
rectly from  Christ,  the  great  Head  of  the  Church, 
by  the  witness  and  endowment  of  the  Holy  Spirit; 
He  who  calls,  endows  and  authorizes.  He  sends 
forth  His  heralds  with  authority  to  preach  the  Gos- 
pel to  the  end  of  the  age. 

All  that  a  Church  or  a  Council  can  properly  do  is 
to  recognize,  and  express  approval  of  a  man's  en- 


THE   CHRISTIAN   MINISTRY.  295 

tering  the  ministry.  The  force  of  ordination  is  simply 
a  recognition  and  sanction,  in  a  public  and  impress- 
ive manner,  of  what  is  believed  to  be  the  divine 
appointment  of  the  candidate  to  the  sacred  office. 
The  object  of  Church  and  Council  action  is  not  to 
impart  either  ability  or  authority  to  preach  the  Gos- 
pel, for  these  they  cannot  give;  but  to  ascertain  if 
such  ability  and  authority  have  been  divinely  given, 
and  if  so,  to  approve  their  public  exercise.  If  not  in 
so  remarkable  a  manner,  yet  probably  just  as  really 
is  every  true  minister  called  and  invested  as  was 
Paul:  "  But  when  it  pleased  God,  who  separated  me 
from  my  mother's  womb,  and  called  me  by  His 
grace  to  reveal  His  Son  in  me,  that  I  might  preach 
Him  among  the  heathen;  immediately  I  conferred 
not  with  flesh  and  blood." — Gal.  1:15,  16. 

Note  6. — Any  one  who  believes  himself  called  and  author- 
ized of  God  to  preach  the  Gospel,  as  one  under  law  to  Christ, 
and  ultimately  accountable  to  Him  alone,  has  a  right  to 
preach  the  Gospel,  though  churches  and  councils  should  op- 
pose his  course.  But  he  would  not  have  the  right  to  preach 
in  any  congregation  without  their  consent. 

Note  7. — The  right  of  any  man  to  be  the  minister  and 
pastor  of  any  particular  Church  is  derived  from  that  Church 
itself.  No  man,  no  body  of  men  can  make  him  a  minister  to 
thejfi  without  their  consent.  While  on  the  other  hand,  if 
they  so  determine  and  choose  him,  he  is  a  minister  to  them 
though  councils  and  churches  should  forbid  it.  Others  are 
not  obliged  to  recognize  or  fellowship  them  or  him,  but 
they  cannot  interfere  with  them.  A  man's  right  to  preach 
the  Gospel,  and  administer  the  ordinances  comes  from  God 
alone  ;  a  man's  right  to  do  this  in  any  particular  Church 
comes  from  that  Church  alone. 


296  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Note  8. — But  suppose  a  man  believes  himself  called  to 
preach,  and  insists  on  the  exercise  of  that  right,  while  the 
Church  of  which  he  is  a  member,  after  long  and  careful  con- 
sideration, is  convinced  that  he  is  mistaken  in  his  convictions, 
and  that  he  ought  not  to  undertake  the  work.  The  Church 
has  its  authority,  as  well  as  the  individual  his  rights.  In  such 
a  case,  while  the  Church  should  be  careful  not  to  infringe  on 
the  individual's  rights  of  conscience,  or  freedom  of  action, 
they  may,  in  the  exercise  of  their  lawful  and  legitimate  au- 
thority, labor  with,  admonish,  and,  if  need  be,  rebuke  such 
a  one,  he  being  a  member  in  covenant  relations  with  them  ; 
and  if  he  will  not  hear  them,  and  they  judge  the  occasion 
calls  for  it,  discipline,  and  even  withdraw  fellowship  from 
him.     They  possess  that  right. 

VIII.      QUALIFICATIONS   FOR   THE   MINISTRY, 

It  is  not  to  be  expected  that  of  all  men  the  minis- 
ter alone  vi^ill  be  perfect.  And  yet  in  no  other  man 
is  a  near  approach  to  perfection  so  imperative  as  in 
him.  Of  all  men,  he  should  prayerfully  strive  to 
have  as  few  faults  and  as  many  excellencies  as  pos- 
sible. For  in  no  other  man  do  they  count  for  so 
much,  either  for  or  against  truth  and  righteous- 
ness as  in  him. 

He  should  be  a  man  of  good  physical  health. 
This  counts  for  vastly  more,  even  in  a  spiritual  point 
of  view,  than  is  usually  supposed.  And  if,  by  heredi- 
tary taint,  or  for  any  other  reason,  he  may  lack  phys- 
ical vigor,  he  should,  by  careful  self-training  in 
regard  to  diet,  exercise,  and  otherwise,  strive  to  re- 
invigorate  his  energies.  This  is  a  duty  as  sacred 
and  imperative  as  prayer,  the  study  of  the  Bible,  or 


THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY,  297 

other  spiritual  exercise.  He  will  find  that  an  en- 
feebled body  impairs  his  best  endeavors.  He  should 
also  avoid  all  of  those  habits  which  tend  to  ener- 
vate and  undermine  his  health.  Irregularity  of  life, 
late  hours,  heavy  suppers,  and  the  like;  while  the 
use  of  tobacco,  opium  and  alcohol  should  be  re- 
garded as  an  abomination,  not  to  be  tolerated  by 
one  who  preaches  a  gospel  of  purity,  and  who  him- 
self should  be  pure. 

It  must  not,  however,  be  understood  as  saying 
that  a  man  manifestly  called  of  God  to  the  work, 
should  not  undertake  it  because  he  does  not  enjoy 
robust  health,  and  has  not  been  favored  with  a  vig- 
orous constitution.  Some  of  the  most  godly  and 
useful  ministers  who  have  ever  blessed  the  world 
and  the  churches,  have  been  life-long  invalids  and 
sufferers.  And  sometimes  the  active  and  varied  du- 
ties of  the  pastorate,  especially  in  rural  fields,  have 
been  highly  conducive  to  physical  health  and  lon- 
gevity. Still,  "a  sound  mind  in  a  sound  body" 
must  be  insisted  on  as  of  the  greatest  importance, 
for  the  possession  of  which  no  prudent  or  persistent 
effort  is  too  great  a  price  to  pay. 

Moreover,  the  minister  should  be  a  Christian  gen- 
tleman in  the  best  sense  of  that  term.  Not  a  tech- 
nical gentleman,  flippant  and  finical,  according  to 
the  standard  of  so-called  genteel  society,  but  far 
better  and  higher  than  this — a  true  gentleman  at 
heart,  courteous,  considerate,  gentle,  generous,  and 
kind  to  all.  There  is  no  excuse  for  a  minister's  being 
rude,  boorish,  inconsiderate  of  the  proprieties  of  so- 


298  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

ciety,  and  indifferent  to  the  feelings  or  comfort  of 
others.  He  who  is  such,  no  matter  what  amount  of 
talent  he  may  possess,  will  drive  people  from  him, 
and  his  life  will  be  largely  unfruitful  of  good.  Some 
ministers  seem  to  think  it  a  mark  of  superiority  to 
be  rude  and  supercilious  toward  others.  It  is  simply 
a  mark  of  superior  boorishness,  and  a  disgrace  to 
the  profession. 

But  those  special  qualifications  named  by  the 
Apostle,  and  detailed  in  the  epistles  to  Timothy  and 
Titus  (i  Tim.,  chap.  3;  Titus,  chap,  i),  should  be 
insisted  on  by  both  churches  and  ordaining  coun- 
cils. They  are  such  as  all  who  aspire  to  that  sacred 
ofBce  can  possess,  and  such  as,  if  possessed,  may 
give  assurance  to  the  most  humble  and  timid  that 
their  work  and  labor  of  love  will  not  be  in  vain  in 
the  Lord.  According  to  these  inspired  specifica- 
tions, the  bishop  or  pastor  should  be  *'  blameless, 
the  husband  of  one  wife,  vigilant,  sober,  of  good 
behavior,  given  to  hospitality,  apt  to  teach,  not 
given  to  much  wine,  no  striker,  not  greedy  of  filthy 
lucre,  patient,  not  a  brawler,  not  covetous,  one  that 
ruleth  well  his  own  house,  having  his  childrerl  in 
subjection;  not  a  novice,  having  a  good  report  of 
them  that  are  without,  not  self-willed,  not  soon  an- 
gry." Such  qualifications,  quickened  and  sanctified 
by  the  Spirit,  could  not  fail  to  make  good  ministers 
of  Jesus  Christ.  There  is  no  impossible  endowment 
enjoined,  and  the  morality  of  the  Gospel,  so  largely 
prominent  in  these  qualities,  should  be  conspicuous 
in  a  religious  teacher  and  leader  of  the  people. 


THE   CHRISTIAN   MINISTRY.  299 

Note  7.  —As  to  those  qualifications  which  are  purely 
scholastic,  whether  literary  or  theological,  as  a  preparation 
for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  no  certain  amount  or  given 
standard  can  be  fixed.  The  importance  and  difficulties  of 
the  profession  make  it  necessary  that  the  divinity  student 
should  avail  himself  of  the  largest  and  most  liberal  culture 
possible  in  the  circumstances.  The  indications  of  Provi- 
dence, his  own  convictions  of  duty,  and  the  advice  of  wise 
and  judicious  friends  must  decide  that  question. 

Note  8. — The  wide  field  over  which  our  churches  are 
scattered,  the  vast  variety  of  social  conditions  which  mark 
the  different  congregations,  not  only  make  possible,  but  de- 
mand all  types  and  varieties  of  ministerial  gifts.  Certain  it 
is,  that  many  a  field  would  welcome  the  man  without  the 
culture  of  the  schools,  but  with  a  knowledge  of  men  and  a 
deep  insight  into  the  Gospel,  much  more  readily,  and  find 
him  much  more  useful,  than  the  scholar  from  the  seminary, 
thoroughly  versed  in  books,  but  ignorant  of  men  and  prac- 
tical life. 

Note  9, — It  is  desirable  that  every  young  man  preparing 
for  the  ministry  should,  if  possible,  be  able  to  read  intelli- 
gently the  Scriptures  in  the  original  Greek  and  Hebrew. 
This,  and  all  other  linguistic  knowledge,  will  be  to  him  of 
great  value,  if  rightly  used.  But  of  all  "  book  knowledge  " 
that  can  be  named,  none  can  compare  with  a  deep,  thorough 
knowledge  of  the  English  Bible.  The  importance  of  this  to 
the  minister  of  Christ  outranks  all  others,  and  does  more 
than  any  other  literary  attainment  to  make  a  man  an  able 
minister  of  the  New  Testament.  And  this  qualification  is 
within  the  reach  of  all — even  the  plainest  and  the  poorest. 

Note  10.— It  is  of  great  practical  advantage  to  the  student 
that,  during  his  preparatory  studies,  he  should  not  unfre- 
quently  exercise  his  gifts  in  preaching,  as  occasion  offers.  It 
will  give  him  opportunity  for  developing  his  capabilities, 
testing  his  theories  and  correcting  his  faults  under  the  most 
favorable  circumstances.      But  this  should   be  done  with 


3CX)  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

caution,  and  not  to  any  such  extent  as  seriously  to  interfere 
with  his  studies,  which  for  the  time  constitute  his  principal 
business. 

Note  ii. — Let  no  young  man  deem  the  time  wasted  that 
confines  him  to  the  class-room  in  mental  training,  and  the 
acquisition  of  knowledge  preparatory  to  the  great  work.  He 
serves  his  Master  best  who  patiently  and  faithfully  prepares 
best  to  serve  Him.  That  foolish  enthusiasm  for  the  work 
which  hurries  one  into  the  field  only  half  fitted,  when  a  bet- 
ter preparation  was  possible,  will  always  after  be  deeply  re- 
gretted. 

IX.      THE   LICENSING   OF   MINISTERS. 

It  is  one  of  the  prevailing  customs  of  our  churches 
to  grant  a  license  to  young  men  believing  them- 
selves, and  believed  by  others,  to  have  been  called 
to  preach  the  Gospel,  but  not  yet  prepared  to 
enter  upon  the  work  of  the  ministry."^  This  is 
simply  an  approval  by  the  Church  of  the  course 
-which  the  candidate  is  pursuing.  It  confers  no 
rights  and  imparts  no  authority,  but  expresses  the 
conviction  that  the  bearer  possesses  gifts  and  ca- 
pabilities which  indicate  a  call  to  the  ministry,  and 
a  promise  of  usefulness  in  it.  The  giving  of  li- 
censes is  not  universal  in  such  cases.  Theological 
schools  usually  require  them  of  students  entering, 
as  an  evidence  that  they  have  the  approval  and  con- 
fidence of  their  churches.  Churches  should  be  very 
careful  not  to  grant  licenses  without  sufficient  evi- 
dence of  a  divine  call,  and  not  till  they  have  had 

*  The  form  of  a  license  may  be  found  in  the  Appendix  to  this 
volume. 


THE   CHRISTIAN   MINISTRY.  3OI 

sufficient  opportunity  to  judge  wisely  in  the  case. 
And  where  there  is  good  evidence  of  a  call,  the 
Church  should  be  as  ready  as  they  are  careful  to 
encourage  the  candidate  in  his  chosen  course. 

Note  12. — Ordination  does  not  necessarily  follow  the 
granting  of  a  license,  though  usually  it  does.  The  Church 
may  have  occasion  to  change  their  opinion  of  the  case,  and 
may,  for  sufficient  cause,  revoke  the  license. 

Note  13. — A  license  should  never  be  granted  simply  be- 
cause it  is  sought,  nor  to  gratify  the  candidate  or  his  friends, 
nor  because  they  dislike  to  refuse.  It  is  a  serious  and  an  im- 
portant matter,  and  should  be  acted  on  with  kindly  feeling, 
but  with  conscientious  care. 

Note  14. — A  letter  of  commendation  is  sometimes  given  a 
young  man,  approving  of  his  entering  upon  a  course  of 
study,  with  the  ministry  in  view,  but  deferring  a  license  until 
better  opportunities  are  offered  to  judge  of  his  gifts  and 
calling. 

Note  15. — It  is,  of  course,  understood  that  the  practice 
of  licensing  is  merely  a  cautionaiy  measure,  a  custom  not  es- 
sential and  not  uniform,  but  salutary,  and  tending  to  good 
order. 

X.      THE   ORDINATION   OF   MINISTERS. 

The  importance  of  selecting  and  placing  over 
the  churches  the  right  kind  of  men  as  pastors  and 
teachers  cannot  be  overestimated.  But  the  high 
regard,  the  almost  sanctity,  in  which  our  churches 
hold  the  ceremony  of  setting  apart,  of  the  inaugura- 
tion of  the  clergy,  finds  no  parallel  and  no  sanction 
in  the  New  Testament,  and  is  derived  directly  from 
sacramentarian    communions,    remotely    from    the 


362  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Romish  Church,  which  holds  ordination  as  one  of 
the  seven  sacraments. 

The  New  Testament  meaning  of  the  word  ordi- 
nation is  choosing,  electing,  appointing  a  man  to 
the  office  of  bishop  or  pastor,  and  has  no  reference 
to  a  ceremonial  setting  apart,  or  investiture  with 
the  functions  of  the  office.  A  president  is  elected 
— that  is,  ordained — to  the  presidency  by  the  votes 
of  the  people;  but  the  ceremony  of  his  inauguration 
is  quite  a  different  thing;  very  proper,  becoming 
and  impressive,  but  not  essential.  He  is  as  really 
president  without  it  as  with  it:  president  by  virtue 
of  his  election,  not  of  his  inauguration.*  Our 
churches,  unfortunately,  have  come  to  apply  the  term 
'*  ordination  "  exclusively  to  the  ceremonial  induc- 
tion, and  not  to  the  election,  which  was  its  primitive 
and  is  its  proper  meaning.  Thus  laying  all  the 
stress  on  the  ceremony,  they  have  come  to  insist  on 
certain  ritual  observances  as  essential  to  its  valid- 
ity. All  the  more  notable  is  this  since  Baptists  con- 
tend so  earnestly  for  following  the  New  Testament 
in  all  things.  And  however  appropriate  such  forms 
of  induction  may  be,  they  find  no  warrant  for  them 
in  the  Scriptures.  Therefore  they  should  be  urged,  if 


*  As  the  question  of  ordination  holds  an  important  place  among 
the  usages  of  our  Church  life,  and  as  not  a  little  misapprehension 
and  perplexity  often  arise  from  the  diversity  of  views  enter- 
tained by  our  people  respecting  it,  and  its  relation  to  primitive 
Church  practice,  it  has  seemed  wise  to  devote  a  separate  chapter 
in  this  work  to  a  somewhat  full  discussion  of  the  subject.  See 
page  344. 


THE  CHRISTIAN   MINISTRY.  363 

urged  at  all,  as  matters  oi  order,  and  not  matters  of 
authority;  as  appropriate  and  becoming,  but  not  es- 
sential. 

No  reasonable  objection  can  be  made  to  our  usual 
forms  of  ordination  service,  providing  these  forms  be 
rightly  understood  and  held  at  their  right  value. 
But  no  instance  can  be  found  in  the  New  Testament 
where  any  man  was  set  apart  to  the  work  of  the 
Gospel  ministry,  at  his  first  entrance  upon  it,  by  any 
ceremony  whatever.  The  seven  deacons  were  cere- 
monially inducted  into  their  office,  but  not  the 
preachers  of  the  Gospel — or  if  they  were,  we  do  not 
know  it. 

The  Order  of  Proceedings  : 

The  usual  course  of  proceedings  in  ordinations  is 
as  follows  : 

The  Church  which  calls  for  the  ordination — and 
of  which  Church  the  candidate  should  be  a  member 
— invites  a  Council,  by  sending  letters  to  such  other 
churches  (and  individuals)  as  they  may  desire  to  have 
present,  requesting  them  to  send  their  pastor  and 
brethren  (usually  two)  to  consider  and  advise  them 
as  to  the  propriety  of  setting  apart  the  candidate 
to  the  work  of  the  Gospel  ministry.  In  some  parts, 
particularly  at  the  South,  a  Presbytery  is  called  in- 
stead of  a  Council;  that  is,  a  number  of  ministers 
personally  invited  without  the  presence  of  laymen. 
So  far  as  the  validity  of  the  action  is  concerned, 
there  is  no  choice  in  the  methods. 

The  Council,  when  convened  and  organized,  list' 


304  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

ens  to  a  statement  from  the  Church  calling  them, 
through  a  committee  appointed  for  the  purpose,  and 
then  proceeds  to  the  examination  of  the  candidate. 
This  examination  usually  traverses  three  principal 
lines  of  inquiry,  but  may  go  beyond  them,  viz.  : 

1.  His  Christian  experience. 

2.  His  call  to  the  ministry. 

3.  His  views  of  Christian  doctrine. 

Other  topics  than  these  may  appropriately  be 
made  subjects  for  inquiry,  providing  they  be  ger- 
mane to  the  occasion,  but  remote  subjects  and 
profitless  discussion  should  be  avoided;  especially 
such  subjects  as  those  on  which  members  of  the 
Council  themselves  may  be  divided. 

When  the  Council  is  satisfied  with  the  examina- 
tion, the  candidate  is  allowed  to  7'etire^  while  the 
body  proceeds  to  discuss  the  matter,  and  the  action 
to  be  taken.  If  there  be  any  particular  dissatis- 
faction in  the  case,  such  matters  are  considered;  and 
if  desired,  the  candidate  can  be  recalled  to  give  his 
views  more  fully  on  doubtful  points.  If  not,  on 
motion  duly  made,  the  Council  votes  its  satisfaction 
on  each  of  the  above  three  distinct  topics  of  inquiry. 
Then  a  final  vote  to  this  effect  is  passed:  ''Re- 
solved :  that  being  satisfied  with  the  result  of  our 
examination,  we  approve  the  setting  apart  of  the 
candidate,  and  recommend  the  Church  to  proceed 
to  the  public  services  of  ordination."  As  the  Coun- 
cil was  called  to  advise  the  Church,  this  is  the  ad- 
vice they  give.  The  committee  of  the  Church  act- 
ing for  them,  request  the  Council  to  take  charge  of 


THE   CHRISTIAN   MINISTRY.  305 

the  services,  and  assign  the  several  parts,  with  the 
concurrence  of  the  candidate,  as  they  may  think 
desirable. 

What  these  various  parts  shall  be,  and  who  shall 
perform  them,  is  a  matter  of  no  importance  beyond 
the  wishes  of  the  candidate,  and  the  Church. 
Usually  they  are  as  follows  : 

1.  Preliminary  services,  consisting  of  music,  read- 
ing the  Scriptures,  and  an  introductory  prayer. 

2.  Sermon  :  preached  usually  by  some  one  pre- 
viously selected  by  the  candidate. 

3.  The  ordaining  prayer:  during  which  the  candi- 
date kneels,  and  near  the  close  of  which  he  who 
offers  the  prayer,  and  some  others,  lay  their  hands 
on  his  head. 

4.  The  hand  of  fellowship  :  in  a  short  address 
welcoming  the  candidate  to  the  fellowship  and 
fraternity  of  the  ministry,  and  to  all  the  pleasures 
and  toils  of  the  sacred  service. 

5.  A  charge  to  the  candidate:  in  an  address, 
usually  by  some  older  minister,  reminding  him  of 
the  various  duties  and  responsibilities  the  ministry 
imposes. 

6.  A  charge  to  the  Church  :  in  an  address  enjoin- 
ing on  them  their  reciprocal  duties  and  responsi- 
bilities, in  consequence  of  his  settlement  among 
them;  duties  to  him,  to  themselves,  and  to  the  com- 
munity. 

7.  This  closes  the  service,  and  the  benediction  is 

usually  pronounced  by  the  candidate;  before  which 

the   minutes  of  the  proceedings  are  read  and  ap- 
20 


3o6  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

proved,  and  a  copy  voted  for  the  candidate,  as  his 
certificate  of  ordination  —  and  perhaps  notices 
ordered  sent  to  the  papers. 

Note  i6. — The  Church  which  calls  the  Council  usually  ap- 
points a  committee  to  represent  it  before  the  Council  in 
giving  information,  answering  questions,  or  making  sug- 
gestions, but  such  a  committee  is  no  part  of  the  Council, 
and  cannot  vote  on  any  question. 

Note  17. — Should  the  Council  decide  against  the  pro- 
priety of  ordaining  the  candidate,  still  the  Church  can  have 
him  as  their  minister  if  they  choose  to  do  so,  and  none  can  pre- 
vent. The  independence  of  churches  cannot  be  questioned. 
This,  however,  in  ordinary  circumstances  would  be  highly 
inexpedient.  Neither  the  Church  nor  candidate  would  be 
likely  to  command  the  approval  or  confidence  of  other 
churches,  or  of  the  community,  should  they  utterly  ignore 
the  judgment  and  advice  of  a  Council  of  their  own  calling. 

Note  18. — A  call  to  the  ministry  does  not  necessarily  in- 
volve an  immediate  entrance  upon  its  duties.  Hence  a 
Church  or  a  Council  may  agree  that  a  man  is  called,  but  on 
account  of  his  inexperience,  ignorance  of  doctrines  ov  oi 
duties,  or  for  other  reason,  may  decide  against  immediate 
ordination,  and  advise  to  defer  that  step  until  he  shall  be  bet- 
ter qualified,  and  more  thoroughly  instructed  in  the  ways  oi 
the  Lord.  Quite  often,  no  doubt,  this  would  be  a  wise  course 
to  take. 

Note  19. — Since  the  peace  and  prosperity  of  a  Church  so 
vitally  depend  on  the  knowledge,  discretion,  and  experience 
of  a  pastor,  and  his  ability  to  guide  its  affairs,  as  well  as  hig 
gift  in  preaching  the  Gospel,  therefore  the  utmost  caution 
and  prudence  should  be  used  on  the  part  of  the  churches  in 
calling  men  to  ordination.  The  Council  that  examines  the 
candidate,  also,  should  give  a  wide  range  to  their  investiga- 
tions, and  thoroughly  ascertain  the  candidate's  general  com- 
petency for  the  work. 


THE   CHRISTIAN   MINISTRY.  307 

Note  20. — It  will  be  clearly  inferred  from  statements  al- 
ready made,  that  the  right  of  ordination  inheres  in  the 
Church,  and  not  in  the  Council.  This  must  be  so,  if,  as  is  uni- 
versally conceded  in  our  churches,  all  ecclesiastical  authority 
resides  in  a  Church.  And  also  since  the  Church  is  of  divine 
appointment  and  authority,  while  the  Council  is  not.* 

Note  21. — The  practice  of  "laying  on  of  hands,"  is  an 
Oriental  custom  of  immemorial  usage,  as  a  form  of  bless- 
ing conferred  by  the  old  upon  the  young,  and  by  superiors 
upon  inferiors.  In  the  ritualism  of  the  Mosaic  economy  it 
was  a  symbolical  act.  Jesus  laid  His  hands  on  the  sick  to 
heal  them,  and  on  little  children  to  bless  them.  With  the 
Pentecostal  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  miraculous  effects  fol- 
lowed the  laying  on  of  the  Apostles'  hands.  Some  of  the 
Baptist  fathers  laid  hands  on  the  head  of  each  candidate 
baptized,  pronouncing  a  brief  blessing;  a  few  continue  the 
practice.  Since  the  original  significancy  of  the  act  is  no 
longer  realized,  and  since  no  gifts,  either  common  or  ex- 
traordinary, are  pretended  to  be  conferred,  the  act  should  no 
longer  be  deemed  essential  as  a  part  of  ordination  services, 
nor  as  affecting  the  completeness  of  ministerial  character,  or 
the  validity  of  ministerial  acts. 

XI.  RECOGNITION,  INSTALLATION    REORDINATION. 

Services  bearing  these  designations  are  some- 
times, though  with  no  considerable  degree  of  uni- 
formity, resorted  to.  Nor  does  any  considerable  im- 
portance attach  to  them,  except  that  reordmation 
from  time  to  time  becomes  a  question  of  perplexity 
and  of  controversy  among  our  people. 

*  For  a  more  exhaustive  discussion  of  the  subject  of  Councils, 
their  nature,  prerogatives,  and  uses,  see  the  chapter  on  that 
subject.     Also  "  Star  Book  on  Baptist  Councils." 


3o8  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Recognition.  When  a  pastor  changes  his  field, 
and  takes  a  new  one,  he  is  at  times  welcomed  by 
some  special  services  to  celebrate  the  event,  and 
introduce  him  to  the  community.  Neighboring 
clergymen  and  others,  are  invited  in;  a  sermon  is 
preached  by  some  personal  friend  of  the  pastor,  or 
by  some  other  one  selected,  or  several  addresses 
are  made  instead;  attractive  music  is  had;  the  pas- 
tor is  congratulated  on  his  field,  the  Church  on 
its  pastor,  and  a  pleasant  time  is  enjoyed.  There 
can  be  no  objection  to  such  a  service — and  it  is  dif- 
ficult to  see  how  any  marked  benefit  can  arise  from 
it,  especially  as  the  pastor  may  change  his  field 
again  in  a  year,  and  some  one  else  take  his  place — 
when  the  service  will  be  repeated. 

Installation.  This  term  has  no  proper  use  in  the 
customs  of  Baptists  ;  though  it  is  sometimes  used 
by  accommodation  to  indicate  a  recognition  service, 
where  a  minister  takes  possession  of  a  new  pastor- 
ate. The  word  is  properly  used  to  designate  the 
service  by  which  a  minister  is  placed  over  a  new 
charge,  with  appropriate  ceremonies  by  his  ecclesi- 
astical superiors.  To  install  is  to  place  in  a  stall  or 
"^at,  indicative  of  official  duties  and  functions,  by 
which  the  incumbent  is  invested  with  official  author- 
ity. The  term  is  appropriate  only  where  a  minister 
is  placed  in  a  charge  by  superior  ecclesiastical  func- 
tionaries, acquiring  new  rights  and  prerogatives 
thereby. 

Reordination.  The  question  of  reordination  arises 
when  a  minister  of  some  other  denomination  unites 


THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY.  309 

with  us,  and  wishes  to  become  a  pastor  among 
us.  He  has  professed  conformity  to  our  denomina- 
tional views,  and  has  been  baptized  into  our  fel- 
lowship. But  that  gives  him  only  the  standing  of 
a  private  member  and  not  that  of  a  minister.  He 
was,  however,  an  accredited  minister  in  an  evan- 
gelical denomination  before,  regularly  set  apart  to 
the  sacred  office.  Now,  the  question  is,  in  order  to 
become  a  Baptist  minister,  will  his  previous  ordina- 
tion suffice,  or  should  he  be  ordained  again  as  though 
he  had  never  been  a  clergyman  }  On  this  point 
opinions  somewhat  differ. 

Some  answer  in  the  affirmative  and  some  in  the 
negative.  But  really  it  makes  very  little  difference 
which  course  is  pursued.  Either  would  be  valid,  and 
neither  is  essential.  Considering  what  ordination 
is,  and  what  use  it  is  intended  to  serve,  in  the  case 
supposed,  a  recognition  would  be  as  good  as  an 
ordination  ;  and  the  reverse  would  be  true.  In  case 
of  a  minister  coming  from  some  other  communion, 
before  he  should  be  admitted  to  ministerial  functions 
among  our  churches,  it  would  be  every  way  desir- 
able that  a  Council  or  a  Presbytery  should  be  called 
by  the  Church  which  proposes  to  have  him  as  pastor, 
to  examine  and  ascertain  his  views  as  to  Baptist 
doctrine  and  Church  order.  If  satisfied,  some  pub- 
lic services  would  be  proper  and  desirable.  Call  it 
a  recognition  or  a  reordination  ;  the  difference  is 
slight.  Indeed,  the  only  difference  in  ceremony  is, 
that  in  the  latter  the  laying  on  of  hands  is  practised, 
but  omitted  in  the  former.     Let  the   wish  of  the 


3IO  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

candidate,  or  the  Church,  or  the  Council — if  they 
have  a  preference — be  gratified.  A  man  is  a  minis- 
ter none  the  more  with  the  imposition  of  hands,  and 
none  the  less  without  it.  * 

*  On  the  discipline  of   unworthy  ministers,  see   Chapter  on 
Discipline,  page  206. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

BAPTIST  COUNCILS. 

Councils  for  consultation  and  advice  in  ecclesi- 
astical affairs  are  an  established  usage  among 
American  Baptists,  especially  at  the  North,  East, 
and  West.  With  the  Southern  churches  there  is  a 
prejudice  existing  against  them  lest  their  action 
should  come  to  be  considered  authoritative,  and 
threaten  a  domination  of  the  churches.  For  this 
reason  they  are  seldom  resorted  to  in  that  section. 

Indeed,  through  the  whole  extent  of  our  denom- 
ination their  doings  have  been  watched  with  jealousy 
and  regarded  with  not  a  little  of  suspicion,  for  fear 
they  might  grow  to  an  interference  with  the  inde- 
pendence of  the  churches;  this  doctrine  of  Church 
independency  being  held  by  them  with  great  tenac- 
ity, both  because  they  believe  it  taught  in  the  New 
Testament  and  also  because  of  the  wrongs  perpe- 
trated on  the  true  people  of  God  during  past  ages, 
by  acts  of  Councils  and  papal  decrees  in  the  name 
of  ecclesiastical  authority. 

Hence  Baptists  watch  with  commendable  vigi- 
lance against  every  combination  of  men,  and  every 
form  of  action  which  by  any  possibility  may  threaten 

3" 


312  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

an  assumption  of  power  over,  or  interference  with, 
the  free  and  independent  action  of  the  local 
churches.  Thus  it  has  come  to  pass  that  Associa- 
tions, when  appealed  to  to  decide  disputes  which 
vexed  the  churches,  or  to  settle  perplexing  ques- 
tions which  disturbed  their  peace,  have  either  de- 
clined to  respond  altogether,  lest  they  might  come 
to  be  regarded  as  a  court  of  appeals,  or  if  they  did 
reply,  did  it  with  the  distinct  avowal  that  they  could 
not  dictate  to,  nor  interfere  with  their  internal  order 
in  any  wise.     It  is  just  and  proper  jealousy. 

It  is  indisputable  that  Councils  have,  at  times, 
done  great  good  both  to  churches  and  to  individuals, 
by  prudent  and  well-considered  advice  in  cases  of 
great  perplexity.  It  is  equally  evident  that  at  times 
they  have  been  the  occasion  of  much  harm,  even  of 
manifest  injustice,  by  decisions  hastily  reached,  or 
based  on  false  assumptions.  Whether,  on  the  whole, 
they  have  been  productive  of  more  good  than  evil, 
is  still  an  unsettled  question  with  those  who  have 
known  them  the  longest,  and  watched  them  the 
most  carefully.  The  danger  lies  in  a  constant  ten- 
dency to  recognize  them,  in  some  sense,  as  a  court 
of  appeal  and  of  arbitration — in  effect  if  not  in  form. 
And  this  danger  is  the  greater,  because  there  will 
always  be  among  us  some  who  think  they  see  the 
need  of  a  stronger  government  for  the  control  of 
virulent  disorders  than  the  independency  of  the 
churches  furnishes.  They  desire  some  more  speedy 
and  more  effectual  method  of  removing  rank 
offenses  than  the  slow  and    uncertain    process    of 


BAPTIST    COUNCILS.  313 

Church  discipline.  They  would  therefore  welcome 
a  quasi  authority  in  the  action  of  Councils,  which 
should  make  an  end  of  all  controversy  with  the 
contentious  and  the  perverse. 

But  such  tendencies,  fortunately,  have  thus  far 
been  counteracted  by  that  innate  apprehension  with 
which  the  Baptist  mind  regards  any  possible  ap- 
proach to  dictation,  and  stands  guard  against  the 
interference  of  any  external  authority  whatever,  be- 
yond the  simple  act  of  giving  advice,  when  advice 
is  a-sked. 

I.      THE   ORIGIN  OF  COUNCILS. 

It  has  generally  been  taken  for  granted,  by  both 
Protestant  and  Papal  authorities,  that  all  Church 
Councils  had  their  origin  and  find  their  sanction  in 
the  conference  held  in  Jerusalem  (Acts,  fifteenth 
chapter),  convened  to  consider  questions  which  dis- 
turbed the  Gentile  churches,  as  to  the  reception  ol 
Jewish  customs. 

That  meeting,  it  is  claimed,  was  a  Council  some- 
what within  the  accepted  meaning  of  that  term. 
And  it  is  quite  notable,  not  to  say  remarkable,  that 
all  men,  and  all  classes  of  men,  have  with  an  easy 
liberality  of  interpretation,  explained  that  primitive 
conference  to  meet  their  own  peculiar  views  of 
Council  need,  and  of  Council  action.  Whether 
Papal  or  Protestant,  ultra-Prelatical  or  moderately 
Congregational,  every  man  who  desires  to  find 
some  central  authority,  some  Church  court  to  settle 


314  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

disputed  questions,  and  to  coerce  or  control  Church 
action,  claims  to  find  a  warrant  for  his  particular 
theory  in  **  the  Council  held  in  Jerusalem."  That 
is  declared  to  have  been  apostolic  ;  and  an  appeal 
to  the  fifteenth  of  Acts  is  assumed  to  be  the  end  of 
all  controversy. 

It  has  been  made  the  warrant  and  justification  for 
ages  of  spiritual  tyranny  exercised  over  the  churches 
of  Christ  and  over  the  freedom  of  Christian  thought 
and  action,  by  men  ambitious  to  lord  it  over  God's 
heritage.  By  this  means  Christian  liberty  «and 
spiritual  life  almost  have  been  crushed  out  of 
Christ's  free  churches,  and  the  flock  of  God  has  been 
made  a  prey  to  the  rapacity  of  men  whose  spiritual 
pride  blinded  them  to  the  true  methods  of  the  Gospel. 

The  Syrian  Christians  had  been  disturbed  by  cer- 
tain Jewish  teachers  who  insisted  they  must  ob- 
serve the  law  of  Moses  ;  especially  must  they  be 
circumcised.  Against  this  they  rebelled,  and  Paul 
who  had  planted  these  churches,  refused  to  impose 
on  the  Gentile  converts  such  a  yoke.  To  settle  the 
matter,  therefore,  the  Church  at  Antioch  sent  Paul 
with  certain  others  to  Jerusalem,  to  ask  the  opinion 
and  advice  of  the  mother-Church  in  reference  to  the 
matter.  This  mother-Church  would  be  more  likely 
to  understand  the  genius  of  the  Gospel,  especially 
in  its  relation  to  Judaism ;  and  moreover  they  had 
the  Apostles  with  them,  whose  inspired  judgment 
in  such  a  case  could  not  go  amiss.  When  the  mes- 
sengers from  Antioch  arrived,  the  Church  at  Jerusa- 
lem had  a  meeting  to  consider  the  matter. 


BAPTIST    COUNCILS.  315 

It  was  no  Council,  no  Synod,  no  Consociation, 
but  a  church-meeting  simply.  Just  that,  and  noth- 
ing more.  It  consisted  of  the  Apostles,  and  elders, 
and  brethren.  That  is,  the  entire  Church.  And 
the  Church,  with  just  this  composition,  heard  the 
case,  deliberated,  and,  under  the  guidance  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  gave  a  decision.  This  is  the  view 
taken  of  the  matter  by  Hackett,  Alford,  Schafif, 
Waddington,  and  indeed  nearly  all  Church  authori- 
ties. 

MOSHEIM,  in  his  Church  history,  says : 

"  To  call  it  a  Council  is  a  perversion.  For  that  meeting 
was  a  conference  of  only  a  single  Church,  collected  together 
for  deliberation;  and  if  such  meetings  may  be  called  eccle- 
siastical Councils,  a  multitude  of  them  were  held  in  those 
primitive  times.  An  ecclesiastical  Council  is  a  meeting  of 
delegates  from  a  number  of  confederate  churches." — Eccl. 
Hist.,  Vol.  I.,  p.  72,  sec.  14,  note  17. 

Councils  are  oi human,  not  o{ divine  origin.  They 
cannot  therefore  take  precedence  of,  nor  claim  au- 
thority over,  churches,  which  are  divinely  instituted. 
Nor  were  Councils  known  during  the  first  age,  and 
not  until  Christianity  began  to  be  corrupted.  And 
to  organize  combinations  of  ecclesiastics  to  govern 
and  dominate  the  churches,  was  one  of  the  early 
corruptions  which  afflicted  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

Dr.  Coleman  says : 

"The  apostolic  churches  were  entirely  independent  ol 
each  other."     "  But   in  the  second  century  rhis  primitive 


3l6  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

liberty  and  independence  began  to  be  relinquished,  and 
merged  in  a  confederation  of  the  churches  of  a  province,  or 
country,  into  a  larger  association."  "  They  [Councils]  were 
appointed  by  merely  human  authority,  and  were  regarded  as 
being  instituted  neither  by  Christ  nor  by  His  Apostles." — 
Ancient  Christ.  Exemp.,  pp.  47^,  476. 

Dr.  Mosheim  further  says  : 

"  Nor  does  there  appear  in  this  first  century  any  vestige 
of  that  consociation  of  the  churches  of  the  same  province 
which  gave  rise  to  ecclesiastical  Councils.  But  rather,  as  is 
manifest,  it  was  not  till  the  second  century  that  the  custom 
of  holding  ecclesiastical  Councils  first  began,  in  Greece,  and 
thence  extended  into  other  provinces." — Eccl.  Hist.  B.  I., 
Cent.  7,  part  2,  ch.  2,  sec.  14. 

Dr.  Emmons,  one  of  the  fathers  of  New  England 
Congregationalism,  says : 

"  All  the  present  disputes  about  Councils,  mutual  or  ex 
parte,  in  respect  to  their  authority,  are  vain  and  useless,  be- 
cause they  have  no  divine  authority  at  all."  "  The  human 
device  of  giving  power  to  Associations,  Consociations,  or 
Councils,  to  decide  in  ecclesiastical  causes,  has  been  a  fruit- 
ful source  of  ecclesiastical  injustice,  tyranny  and  persecu- 
tion."— Emmons's  Works,  Vol.  III.,  pp.  ^84,  j86. 

There  is,  how^ever,  a  sense  in  which  the  Church 
conference  at  Jerusalem  may  be  said  to  have  con- 
tained the  germ  of  subsequent  Councils — Councils 
in  their  better  form.  It  is  the  dictate  of  common 
sense,  and  of  Christian  prudence  as  well,  for  those 
called  to  deal  with  grave  and  difificult  matters,  espe- 
cially if  such  matters  be  new  and  unfamiliar,  to  seek 


BAPTIST    COUNCILS.  ^If 

advice  from  those  supposed  to  be  better  informed, 
whose  counsel  can  instruct  their  minds  and  guide 
their  action  more  wisely.  In  a  multitude  of  coun- 
selors, also,  there  may  be  safety.  A  large  number 
of  wise  and  pious  men,  viewing  a  question  from  dif- 
ferent points,  with  unbiased  judgments,  will  be 
more  likely  to  reach  a  safe  and  just  conclusion,  than 
a  smaller  number,  less  experienced,  who  are  per- 
sonally interested  in  it.  And  therefore  it  is  natural 
and  wise  to  ask  advice  in  cases  of  moment  and  of 
doubt,  in  order  to  be  helped  by  the  wisdom  and  the 
experience  of  others.  This  explains  the  philosophy 
of  Councils,  committees  of  reference,  and  Presby- 
teries, as  used  by  Baptists.  The  fellowship  of  in- 
dividuals, and  the  fraternity  of  churches,  lead  Chris- 
tian men  to  desire  concurrence  in  matters  of  local 
interest,  and  so  far  as  may  be,  to  secure  uniformity 
in  matters  of  general  concern. 

But  uniformity  would  be  purchased  at  too  great  a 
cost  if  the  rights  or  the  liberties  of  the  churches 
should  be  imperiled.  When  usage  becomes  uniform, 
it  is  not  difficult  to  have  it  considered  as  essential; 
and  when  it  is  conceded  to  be  essential,  it  has 
already  become  authoritative.  Councils  may  be 
desirable  and  beneficent,  but  they  are  not  essential 
for  any  purpose  for  which  their  advice  is  usually 
invoked  ;  nor  are  they  authoritative  in  any  opinion 
they  may  express,  or  in  any  decisions  they  may 
render.  Their  possible  perversions  should  not 
wholly  condemn  them,  nor  their  probable  benefits 
unduly  magnify  them. 


3l8  tHE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

II.      GENERAL   PROPOSITIONS. 

The  principles  on  which,  and  rules  by  which — 
according  to  common  usage  and  general  consent — 
Baptist  Councils  are  constituted,  and  their  action 
governed,  may  be  stated  in  the  following  proposi- 
tions : 

1.  It  must  be  accepted  as  a  rule  without  excep- 
tion, that  such  Councils  are  advisory  only,  always 
and  everywhere ;  they  neither  have,  nor  can  have, 
any  ecclesiastical  authority.  They  bind  individuals 
and  churches  so  far,  only,  as  they  may  choose  to 
submit  to  their  judgment  and  advice.  Their  prov- 
ince is  simply  counsel — what  the  name  implies. 
Never,  and  in  no  sense,  are  they  Church  courts  for 
authoritative  decrees ;  much  less  are  they  legisla- 
tive bodies  for  the  enactment  of  laws  for  the 
churches. 

2.  Councils  have  no  original  authority  for  action, 
and,  indeed,  no  antecedent  right  of  existence. 
Their  existence  depends  on  those  who  call  them 
into  being,  and  their  right  to  act  is  derived  from  the 
same  source.  No  company  of  persons,  not  a  Church, 
has  the  right  to  convene,  organize  and  take  action 
on  ecclesiastical  matters  which  have  not  been  sub- 
mitted to  them. 

3.  A  Council  is  composed  of  delegates  or  messen- 
gers^either  laic  or  cleric — appointed  by  the  churches 
of  which  they  are  members,  at  the  request  of  those 
calling  it.  A  committee  of  reference  is  composed 
of  individuals  personally  asked  to  advise,  but  with- 


BAPTIST    COUNCILS.  319 

out  any  Church  action  as  to  their  appointment.  A 
Presbytery,  in  the  Baptist  sense,  is  a  company  of 
ministers  personally  invited  to  assist  in  ordination, 
or  to  advise  in  any  Church  matter. 

4.  Councils  may  be  convened  by  churches  or  in- 
dividuals— more  commonly  by  churches — to  consult 
and  advise  touching  questions  to  be  submitted  to 
them.  Individuals  in  difficulty  with  their  churches, 
or  persons  excluded  from  them,  may  call  a  Council, 
if  the  Church  will  not,  in  circumstances  hereafter 
explained. 

5.  But  individuals  in  difficulty  among  themselves 
in  the  same  Church,  could  not  with  propriety  call  a 
Council  to  settle  their  difficulties.  Such  difficulties 
would  constitute  a  case  of  discipline  which  the 
Church  would  be  under  obligation  to  see  adjusted. 
But  the  Church  might  feel  the  need  of  advice,  and 
call  a  Council  on  the  ground  that  it  could  not  effect 
a  settlement  of  the  trouble  without  such  assist- 
ance. 

6.  The  usual  and  proper  method  for  convening  a 
Council,  is  by  sending  letters  to  such  churches  as 
may  be  selected,  a  majority  of  which  should  be 
those  located  in  the  vicinity,  asking  them  to  appoint 
their  pastor,  and  one  or  more — usually  two — breth- 
ren, to  sit  in  consultation  with  them.  These  letters 
are  called  letters  missive,  and  constitute  the  only 
authority  for  the  assembling  of  the  body,  and  the 
charter  under  which  it  must  act  when  assembled. 

7.  The  letters  missive  should  be  uniform,  their 
statements  identical,  distinctively  announcing  when 


320  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

and  where  the  body  is  to  convene,  and  what  churches 
and  individuals  are  invited  as  members. 

8.  The  letters  missive  should  also  distinctly  state 
what  matters  they  will  be  asked  to  consider,  and 
respecting  which  they  are  to  advise.  It  is  an  ad- 
mitted rule,  sanctioned  by  common  consent,  that  a 
Council  cannot  be  convened  under  a  roving  commis- 
sion^ to  act  on  any  subject  that  may  chance  to  be 
presented,  but  must  confine  its  deliberations  to  such 
matters  as  were  specified  in  the  letters  by  which  it 
was  convened. 

9.  The  delegates,  or  messengers,  who  compose 
the  Council,  are  in  no  proper  sense  representatives 
of  the  churches  which  appoint  them.  They  cannot 
therefore  act  for  their  churches,  to  bind  them  by 
their  action.  A  Baptist  Church  cannot  be  repre- 
sented in  any  other  body ;  nor  can  it  transfer  its 
authority  or  its  functions  to  any  persons  either  within, 
or  external  to  itself,  to  act  for  it.  It  can  send  mes- 
sages by  messengers,  but  cannot  delegate  its  power 
to  act. 

10.  A  Council,  when  duly  organized,  is  an  inde- 
pendent body  within  its  own  sphere  of  action.  It 
cannot  be  coerced,  dictated  to,  or  controlled  by  the 
churches  from  which  its  members  come,  nor  by 
those  who  called  it.  Its  acts  are  the  result  of  the 
judgment  of  a  majority  of  its  members,  and  have 
the  weight  and  force  which  such  opinions  may  com- 
mand— simply  that,  and  nothing  more. 

11.  It  is  somewhat  common  for  those  calling 
Councils,  to  invite,  in  addition  to  Church  messen- 


BAPTIST    COUNCILS.  321 

gers,  certain  individuals  whose  presence  and  coun- 
sels they  may  desire.  To  this  custom,  though  it 
constitutes  a  somewhat  mixed  commission,  there 
seems  to  be  no  reasonable  objection.  They  are 
members  by  invitation,  not  by  appointment. 

12.  Parties  cannot  properly  convoke  a  Council  to 
investigate  or  pass  judgment  on  the  case  of  persons 
with  whom  they  hold  no  ecclesiastical  connection — 
such  as  a  member  or  pastor  of  another  Church  than 
that  of  which  those  convoking  the  Council  are  con- 
nected. But  one  Church  may  call  a  Council  and 
ask  advice  as  to  their  duty  in  respect  to  some  other 
Church  with  which  they  are  in  fellowship. 

13.  The  messengers,  when  convened,  at  the  hour 
named  in  the  call,  organize  by  the  election  of  a 
chairman  and  a  clerk.  These  elections  are  usually 
on  nomination  ;  and  any  one  may  call  the  meeting 
to  order  and  ask  for  a  nomination.  But  sometimes, 
in  very  important  and  difficult  cases,  a  temporary 
chairman  and  clerk  are  chosen,  and  a  committee  is 
appointed  to  recommend  permanent  officers.  After 
this  the  credentials  of  messengers  are  called  for, 
and  the  clerk  makes  an  accurate  list  of  members, 
and  of  their  churches.  Then  the  object  for  which 
the  Council  was  called,  is  stated — usually  by  read- 
ing a  copy  of  the  letter  missive.  By  this  the  body 
understands  what  it  is  desired  to  do,  and  what  it 
will  be  lawful  for  it  to  attempt.  Further  explana- 
tions, the  presentation  of  evidence,  and  a  discussion 
of  the  subject  follow,  concluding  with  such  action 

as  the  body  may  agree  to  take.     The  usual  parlia- 
21 


^52  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

mentary  rules  govern  in  order  and  debate,  unless 
different  rules  are  adopted  at  the  beginning  of  the 
session. 

14.  A  Council  is  composed  of  all  the  persons 
present  in  response  to  the  invitations  sent  out. 
This  number  of  members  can  neither  be  increased 
nor  diminished.  Its  composition  is  fixed  by  those 
who  call  it,  and  cannot  be  changed  by  its  own  ac- 
tion, nor  by  the  authority  of  any  other  body.  It 
cannot,  therefore,  admit  others  to  membership,  nor 
exclude  those  who  are  members  by  appointment. 

15.  But,  as  an  exception  to  this  rule,  all  delibera- 
tive bodies  have  the  primal  and  inherent  right  to 
protect  themselves  against  insult,  disgrace,  and 
such  interruptions  as  would  frustrate  the  object  of 
their  deliberations.  Such  co-nduct,  therefore,  on 
the  part  of  any  member  during  the  proceedings, 
would  make  him  liable  to  censure  or  expulsion. 

16.  If,  however,  any  member  be  dissatisfied  with 
the  presence  of  any  other  member  or  with  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  body,  he  can  refuse  to  act,  and  with- 
draw.    He  has  no  other  remedy. 

17.  Usage  has  not  decided  that  any  specified 
number  of  messengers  appointed  shall  be  necessary 
to  constitute  a  quoj'tim  for  doing  business.  Any 
considerable  number,  or  even  a  small  portion  of 
them,  usually  proceed  to  act,  especially  if  the  case 
be  one  involving  no  great  difficulty.  If,  however, 
the  matter  be  important  and  complicated,  action 
should  not  be  taken  without  a  full  attendance  of 
members.     In  all  important  cases,  it  would  be    a 


BAPTIST    COUNCILS.  323 

salutary  rule,  that  no  action  should  be  had  unless  a 
majority  of  those  called  to  constitute  the  Council, 
were  present ;  or  unless  a  majority  of  the  churches 
invited  had  responded  by  messengers  present.  But 
so  diverse  are  the  views  of  those  who  convene 
Councils,  as  well  as  those  who  act  on  them,  that  no 
rule  on  this  point,  fitted  to  all  occasions,  has  thus 
far  been  established. 

18.  A  Council  may  adjourn  from  time  to  time,  if 
necessary,  to  accomplish  the  purpose  for  which  it 
was  convened.  But  it  cannot  perpetuate  a  con- 
tinued existence  as  a  standing  court  of  appeals. 
When  its  object  is  accomplished  it  expires  by  limit- 
ation ;  but  a  formal  vote  to  dissolve  or  to  adjourn, 
sine  die,  is  usually  passed. 

19.  If  a  Council  adjourns,  it  must  retain  the  same 
composition  when  it  subsequently  meets  as  at  its  first 
session.  It  cannot  have  new  members  added  to  it, 
except  by  mutual  consent  of  the  body  and  all  par- 
ties interested  in  its  action.  Nor  can  it  be  dimin- 
ished, except  that  the  absence  of  some  members 
would  not  vitiate  its  action. 

20.  Before  the  final  adjournment,  the  minutes  of 
the  proceedings  are  read,  corrected,  and  approved, 
and  a  certified  copy  is  ordered  to  be  given  to  the 
parties  by  whom  it  was  called,  as  containing  the 
results  of  the  deliberations,  and  the  Council's  answer 
to  the  request  for  advice. 

2 1 .  When  finally  adjourned  or  dissolved,  the  Coun- 
cil ceases  to  exist,  and  cannot  reconvene  at  its  own 
option,  or  by  the  authority  of  its  members.     If  con- 


324  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

vened  at  all,  it  must  be  by  process  similar  to  that 
which  brought  it  into  being  at  first.  It  would,  in 
fact,  be  a  new  Council,  though  composed  of  the  same 
individuals. 

22.  It  is  not  proper  for  one  Council  to  sit  in  judg- 
ment on,  or  review  the  action  of,  a  previous  Council. 
But  a  matter  not  satisfactorily  disposed  of  by  one 
may  be  referred  to  a  second.  Such  a  second  should 
so  far,  only,  canvass  the  proceedings  of  the  first  as  to 
ascertain  the  facts  they  had  before  them,  and  the 
ground  of  their  decision. 

23.  When  a  second  is  called  to  consider  some  mat- 
ter submitted  to  a  previous  one,  the  second  should 
contain,  so  far  as  practicable,  all  or  most  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  previous  one,  with  such  additions,  how- 
ever, as  will  be  likely  to  counterbalance  any  local 
or  personal  bias  or  prejudice,  or  any  want  of  infor- 
mation or  experience,  which  may  have  prevented 
satisfactory  results  in  the  former  case. 

24.  In  the  calling  of  a  Council  no  packing  process 
should  ever  be  resorted  to,  seeking  to  compose  it 
of  such  persons  only  as  would  be  likely  to  favor  the 
object  of  those  who  called  it.  Such  a  course  may  be 
a  device  of  worldly  policy,  but  is  unworthy  of  Chris- 
tian men,  who  in  all  honesty  should  act  on  higher 
principles,  and  seek  not  simply  the  endorsement  of 
a  man  or  a  cause,  but  equity  and  justice,  truth  and 
right.  For  this,  and  not  for  the  furtherance  of  per- 
sonal or  of  party  ends,  should  they  ask  counsel  of 
their  brethren. 

25.  A  Council  may  be  called  by  a  single  Church,  or 


BAPTIST    COUNCILS.  325 

by  several  churches  united;  by  a  single  individual, 
or  by  several  persons  acting  in  concert.  The  letters 
missive  should  distinctly  state  by  whom  the  call  is 
issued,  as  well  as  the  object  for  which  it  is  issued. 

26.  Councils  called  to  adjust  and  settle  difficulties 
are  usually  designated  as  either  mutual  ox  ex  parte. 
A  mutual  Council  is  one  in  which  the  several  parties 
to  the  difficulty  unite  in  the  call  and  reference.  An  ex 
parte  Council  is  called  by  one  party  to  the  difficulty. 

27.  In  the  calling  of  a  mutual  Council,  each  party 
uniting  in  the  call — whether  an  individual,  several 
persons,  or  a  Church — has  the  selection  of  one-half 
the  members;  otherwise  there  might  be  a  want  of 
fairness  in  the  composition  of  the  body.  While  the 
parties  may  confer  together  as  to  the  churches  or 
individuals  to  be  invited,  yet  neither  has  the  right 
to  object  to  those  selected  by  the  other,  provided 
they  be  all  reputable  members,  in  good  and  regular 
standing  in  Baptist  churches. 

28.  An  ex  parte  Council  should  not  be  called  un- 
til all  proper  efforts  have  been  made  for,  and  have 
failed  to  secure,  a  mutual  Council.  The  reason  is 
obvious.  General  harmony  and  agreement  are  de- 
sirable, and  are  more  likely  to  be  secured  in  a  mutual 
representation,  where  all  parties  can  be  heard. 

29.  Parties  not  uniting  in  the  call  can  have  no 
rights  or  standing  in  the  Council  when  convened. 
But  as  a  matter  of  courtesy,  or  for  the  sake  of  ob- 
taining all  possible  information,  other  persons  who 
have  knowledge  of  the  case  may  be  heard  by  con- 
sent of  the  body  and  those  who  convened  it. 


326  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

30.  Parties  calling  a  Council  cannot  be  members  of 
ity  and  have  no  vote  or  right  of  action  in  it,  except 
to  place  before  the  body  all  the  information  they 
possess,  through  persons  chosen  by  them  for  that 
purpose;  otherwise  they  would  sit  as  judges  of  their 
own  cause. 

31.  An  ex  parte  Council  cannot,  by  its  own  act, 
transform  itself  into  a  mutual  Council.  Such  a 
change  can  be  effected  only  by  the  consent  and 
agreement  of  the  various  parties  involved  in  the  dif- 
ficulty. 

32.  When  a  mutual  Council  is  to  be  called,  to  ad- 
just difficulties  between  a  Church  and  some  of  its 
members,  the  letters  missive  should  be  sent  out  by, 
and  in  the  name  of,  the  Church,  and  not  of  the  indi- 
viduals. But  the  fact  of  its  being  by  mutual  agree- 
ment of  the  parties  should  be  stated  in  the  letters. 

33.  A  Council  cannot  review  and  pass  judgment  on 
the  conduct  of  any  other  Church  than  that  which 
has  called  it  and  submitted  its  case;  nor  can  a  Coun- 
cil properly  be  called  for  such  a  purpose.  No  body 
of  men  holds  the  right  to  try  and  pass  judgment  on 
an  independent  Church,  except  by  its  own  request; 
nor  review  its  acts  of  internal  order  and  discipline. 
Such  a  body  would  thereby  become  judicial — a 
Church  court;  which  Councils  are  not. 

34.  But  either  churches  or  individuals  may  call  a 
Council  to  advise  them  what  is  their  duty  in  relation 
to  a  Church  deemed  heretical  in  doctrine  or  irregu- 
lar in  practice;  or  for  other  reasons  thought  impor- 
tant.    In  such   a   case    matters    pertaining  to  that 


BAPTIST    COUNCILS.  327 

Other  Church  would  necessarily  come  under  review, 
so  far,  and  so  far  only,  as  the  facts  were  concerned 
regarding  which  advice  had  been  asked,  and  so  far 
as  might  be  needful  to  enable  the  Council  to  advise 
intelligently  and  discreetly  in  the  case. 

35.  Members,  if  aggrieved  by  the  attitude  of  their 
own  Church,  believed  by  them  to  be  heretical  or 
disorderly,  having  failed  in  efforts  at  adjustment,  and 
in  efforts  for  a  mutual  Council  as  well,  before  pro- 
ceeding to  call  an  ex  parte  Council,  would  do  well 
to  lay  the  case  before  some  neighboring  Church  or 
churches,  as  a  matter  in  which  such  churches  have 
an  equal  interest  with  themselves.  Churches  thus 
appealed  to  could,  with  propriety,  ask  a  Council  to 
advise  them  as  to  their  duty  in  regard  to  the  matter, 
or  to  advise  the  aggrieved  members  as  to  their  duty 
in  the  case.  Should  such  churches  decline,  as  not 
deeming  the  occasion  sufficient,  or  not  wishing  to 
become  involved  in  controversy,  then  the  individu- 
als may  proceed  to  call  one  to  give  them  advice. 
The  call  should  state  what  efforts  had  already  been 
made  for  the  adjustment  of  the  difficulty. 

36,  Councils,  when  convened  to  aid  in  settling  dif- 
ficulties, should  take  sufficient  time  to  understand 
the  case  thoroughly,  and  then  act  heroically  in  ex- 
pressing their  opinions  as  to  where  the  blame  rests, 
and  in  giving  their  advice  as  to  what  should  be  done. 
Aim  to  be  right,  rather  than  try  to  please.  It  is 
usually  a  vain  thing  to  attempt  a  compromise. 
As  a  rule,  this  pleases  neither  party.  Whatever 
is    decided,  almost    certainly  one    party,  and  very 


328  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

likely  both,  will  be  dissatisfied.  Too  much  must 
not  be  expected  from  Councils;  they  can  give  ad- 
vice and  express  opinions;  beyond  this  they  can- 
not vindicate  the  right  or  punish  the  wrong. 

37.  When  persons,  excluded,  as  they  believe,  un- 
justly, resolve  to  call  a  Council  ex  parte,  they  cannot 
be  expected  to  ask  the  excluding  Church  to  send 
delegates  to  sit  in  the  Council.  It  would  be  con- 
trary to  a  natural  sense  of  justice  for  those  who  had 
prejudged  the  case,  and  decided  against  the  plain- 
tiff, unfairly,  as  he  believed,  to  be  asked  to  sit  again 
on  its  decision.  Such  persons  could  not  be  regarded 
as  unbiased  or  impartial  judges.  But  the  exclud- 
ing Church  should  be  asked  to  send  some  one  to 
the  Council  to  give  any  information  to  the  body,  and 
to  present  their  version  of  the  case. 

38.  If  those  who  are  invited  to  sit  with  councils 
do  not  approve  the  object  of  the  call ,  and  decline  to 
act,  they  should  at  once  notify  those  inviting  them 
to  that  effect,  giving  their  reasons  for  non-concur- 
rence. Such  communications  should  be  laid  before 
the  body  when  convened.  But  it  is  better  to  respond 
to  the  call — unless  the  circumstances  be  very  re- 
markable— and  by  one's  presence  and  influence, 
prevent  unfortunate  action,  rather  than  permit  it  by 
their  absence. 

39.  It  is  a  course  of  questionable  propriety  for  a 
Council  to  require  the  parties  to  a  difficulty  to  pledge 
themselves  at  the  beginning  to  abide  by  whatever 
decision  the  body  may  reach.  This  is  sometimes 
done  with  the  commendable  purpose  of  putting  an 


BAPTIST    COUNCILS.  329 

end  to  the  controversy.  But  it  seems  hardly  con- 
sistent with  freedom  of  conscience  to  pledge  agree- 
ment beforehand  to  a  course  of  action  at  the  time 
unknown,  and  contingent  on  future  and  unforeseen 
events.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  such  pledges  when 
made  are  seldom  kept. 

40.  Councils  for  the  adjustment  of  difficulties  in- 
volving Church  action  should  not  be  called,  unless 
the  need  seems  imperative.  Churches  should  admin- 
ister their  own  affairs^  exercising  their  own  prerog- 
atives, and  discharging  their  own  responsibilities, 
without  external  aid,  so  far  as  possible.  They  may 
make  some  mistakes,  but  that  is  inevitable  in  all 
human  affairs,  and  the  aid  of  Councils  will  not  abso- 
lutely obviate  that  misfortune.  But  against  all  ten- 
dency to  relieve  the  churches  of  their  appropriate 
duties,  to  intrude  into  the  sphere  of  their  just  author- 
ity, or  to  undermine  their  rightful  independence — 
against  all  this  Councils  should  constantly  and  sa- 
credly guard.* 

*  For  further  and  more  specific  application  of  Council  action, 
especially  in  difficult  cases  of  Church  discipline,  and  the  trials  of 
unworthy  ministers,  see  chaps.  6  and  7,  pp.  193-214. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

RELATED   SOCIETIES. 

While  the  churches  are  the  only  Christian  socie- 
ties provided  for  by  the  New  Testament  economy, 
and,  therefore,  the  only  ones  really  essential  to  the 
accomplishment  of  the  purposes  contemplated  by 
the  Gospel,  yet  combinations  of  individual  and  local 
efforts  have  been  found  convenient  for  the  carrying 
on  of  Christian  work  on  wider  areas  and  more  dis- 
tant fields  than  could  well  be  cared  for  by  individual 
service.  These  combinations  have  grown  into  vast 
systems  of  organized  endeavor,  making  societies 
almost  innumerable  for  Christian  and  benevolent 
service  of  many  kinds.  It  may  well  be  questioned 
if  there  be  not  quite  too  many  such.  Some  of  the 
more  common,  which  have  grown  into  established 
usage  with  our  churches,  are  the  following: 

I.      ASSOCIATIONS. 

There  is  at  times  no  little  confusion  of  thought 
occasioned  by  want  of  a  clear  understanding  as  to 
the  true  nature  and  real  purpose  of  Associations; 
and  that,  too,  by  ministers  themselves,  who  ought 

330 


RELATED    SOCIETIES.  33 1 

to  be  able  expounders  of  Baptist  polity  and  usage. 
Especially  as  to  the  relation  which  these  bodies 
sustain  to  the  churches;  whether  they  can  act /^r 
the  associated  churches,  and  in  some  sense  bind 
them  by  their  action. 

It  is  customary  for  churches  occupying  a  given 
extent  of  territory — usually  less  than  a  State,  per- 
haps limited  portions  of  contiguous  States,  not 
so  widely  extended  as  to  make  it  difficult,  because 
of  distance,  to  meet  in  one  place,  nor  yet  embrac- 
ing so  many  churches  as  to  make  the  meetings 
inconveniently  large  —  by  common  agreement  to 
organize  on  some  simple  basis  of  association  for 
mutual  helpfulness  and  counsel. 

These  churches  agree  to  cooperate  in  the  Associa- 
tion, and  meet  yearly  with  some  one  of  them,  by 
their  pastors,  and  a  certain  number  of  members, 
appointed  as  messengers^.  These  meetings  usually 
hold  two  days,  sometimes  more,  and  the  time  is 
occupied  in  hearing  reports  from  the  various  churches 
— each  one  sending  with  the  messengers  a  letter, 
setting  forth  their  condition  as  to  anything  of  spe- 
cial interest  to  themselves  or  to  the  body.  Sermons 
are  preached,  prayer-meetings  held,  and  various 
matters  pertaining   to  the  prosperity  of  the  cause 

*  The  term  representative  is  sometimes  used,  and  delegate  more 
frequently.  Both  terms  are  liable  to  be  misunderstood,  as  imply- 
ing that  an  Association  is  a  representative  body,  and  that  the 
messengers  bear  delegated  authority  to  represent  their  churches 
and  act  for  them.  The  term  messenger  was  commonly  used  by 
the  earlier  Associations,  is  least  objectionable,  and  most  accu- 
rately characterizes  the  purpose  for  which  they  are  appointed. 


332  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

come  under  consideration.  Missionary  work  on 
their  field  is  fostered,  new  churches  are  planted,  and 
weak  ones  aided.  If  any  of  the  churches  have  pe- 
culiar difficulties  to  encounter,  and  choose  to  ask 
advice  and  help,  such  .matters  are  considered,  and 
help  rendered,  if  practicable. 

When  the  body  meets  to  observe  its  anniversary, 
the  moderator  of  the  previous  year  calls  the  meeting 
to  order  at  the  appointed  time,  and  presides  until  a 
new  moderator  is  elected,  with  clerk  and  treasurer; 
then  the  body  is  fully  organized  for  business. 
Thence  its  services  proceed  according  to  its  by- 
laws, or  a  prearranged  programme.  It  is  customary 
to  hear,  during  the  sessions,  appeals  with  important 
information  from  the  representatives  of  various  mis- 
sionary and  benevolent  bodies,  for  the  sake  of  in- 
structing and  stimulating  the  members  in  reference 
to  such  causes. 

These  annual  gatherings  constitute  not  only  favor- 
able opportunities  for  projecting  plans  for  mission- 
ary work  within  the  bounds  of  the  Association,  but 
they  also  give  occasion  for  pleasant  fraternal  inter- 
course on  the  part  of  members  of  the  various 
churches,  who,  at  these  Christian  festivals,  form  and 
foster  personal  friendships  of  a  most  pleasant  and 
profitable  character.  This  is  particularly  true  in 
rural  districts,  where  they  have  few  opportunities 
for  personal  intercourse. 

Observe  the  Following  Facts. 

I.  The  term  Association  is  used  in  two  distinct 


RELATED    SOCIETIES.  333 

and  quite  dissimilar  senses;  by  not  observing  which 
fact  much  confusion,  and  at  times  no  small  difficulty, 
arises  in  the  minds  of  people. 

Firsty  the  organized  body  which  meets  annually 
for  the  transaction  of  business,  is  called  the  Associa- 
tion. This  body  corporate  consists  oi pastors  and 
messengers,  as  its  constituent  elements  and  active 
members.  It  has  its  constitution,  by-laws,  its  order 
of  business,  meets  and  adjourns,  publishes  its  pro- 
ceedings, enrolling  the  names  of  its  pastors  and 
messengers,  who  alone  have  the  rights  of  member- 
ship in  its  sessions. 

Second,  in  a  somewhat  vague  and  ideal  sense  all 
the  associated  churches,  and  the  geographical  limits 
over  which  they  are  scattered,  are  called  the  Asso- 
ciation. Thus  we  speak  of  the  dearth  or  the  pros- 
perity which  prevails  in  this  or  that  Association,  or 
we  say  that  revivals  have,  or  have  not  been  ex- 
tensive in  such  or  such  an  Association.  No  ref- 
erence is  here  had  to  the  organic  body  which  meets 
annually  for  business,  but  to  the  territorial  field,  and 
the  local  churches,  from  which  the  pastors  and  mes- 
sengers come. 

2.  An  Association  —  the  organized  body  that 
meets  for  business — is  not  composed  of  churches, 
but  of  individuals,  the  pastors  and  messengers.  It 
is  a  common  way  of  speaking,  but  a  very  loose  and 
misleading  way,  to  say  it  is  composed  of  churches. 
This  arises  from  a  misapprehension,  and  perpetu- 
ates a  misunderstanding.  A  Baptist  Church  cannot 
be  a  member  of  any  other  body  whatever.    It  would 


334  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

violate  its  sacred  charter,  and  lose  its  identity  as 
the  body  of  Christ,  to  attempt  such  a  union.  And 
if  many  churches  should  enter  into  organic  relations, 
and  constitute  an  ecclesiastical  confederation,  the 
local  churches  would  be  absorbed,  losing  largely 
their  individuality  and  their  independence.  Also, 
in  that  case,  the  confederate  body  would  possess  leg- 
islative and  judicial  control  over  the  separate  con- 
gregations. This  is  the  actual  status  of  most  Christian 
denominations.  But  our  polity  and  our  traditions 
repudiate  both  the  inference,  and  the  hypothesis  on 
which  it  rests. 

3.  But  it  may  be  asked.  How  is  it,  if  churches  are  not 
members  of  the  body,  that  the  Associations  uniformly 
receive  new  churches  to  their  number,  or  dismiss, 
or  drop  churches  from  it }  The  reply  is  this  : 
Churches  are  not  received  to  membership,  though 
such  expressions  are  often,  and  indeed  ordinarily 
used;  but  they  are  received  \o  fellowship  and  co- 
operatio7i ;  which  fact  is  evinced,  by  their  pastors 
and  messengers  being  admitted  to  membership, 
thus  composing  its  constituent  elements. 

4.  An  Association  is  not  a  representative  body,  in 
the  ordinary  acceptation  of  that  term.  A  Baptist 
Church  cannot  appoint  persons  with  delegated 
authority  to  act  for  it,  so  as  to  bind  it  by  their  action. 
It  cannot  transfer  its  authority  and  responsibility  to 
any  person,  or  persons  whatever.  It  can  appoint 
persons  as  committees  to  perform  service  for  it,  and 
report  their  doings.  If  it  be  still  insisted,  for  the 
sake  of  terms,  that  the  churches  do  meet  in  the  ..\s- 


RELATED    SOCIETIES.  335 

sociation,  by  their  representatives,  the  pastors  and 
messengers,  the  reply  must  be — such  is  not  the 
case,  and  cannot  be,  either  actually  or  constructively 
for  a  Baptist  Church  cannot  be  represented  by  dele- 
gates authorized  to  act  for  it  in  any  other  organiza- 
tion whatever. 

5,  An  Association  is  a  voluntary  society  formed 
and  maintained  for  mutual  help  among  the  churches 
associated,  and  for  the  religious  welfare  of  the  field 
it  occupies.  It  is  of  human,  not  of  divine  authority; 
it  grows  out  of  the  sympathies  of  Christian  fellow- 
ship, and  the  need  of  mutual  help.  No  Church  is 
under  obligation  to  affiliate  with  it;  and  any  con- 
nected Church  can  withdraw  cooperation,  at  any 
time,  for  any  reasons  which  seem  to  itself  sufficient, 
without  prejudice  to  either  its  evangelical  or  its 
denominational  reputation  and  standing.  But  while 
it  continues  associated,  it  must  abide  by  the  rules 
and  regulations,  mutually  agreed  upon,  by  which 
the  body  is  governed. 

6.  Because  an  Association  is  not  a  representative 
body,  and  because  a  Church  cannot  be  represented  in 
any  other  organization,  and  because  a  Church  cannot, 
even  if  it  would,  alienate,  or  transfer  its  powers  and 
responsibilities  to  any  man,  or  body  of  men,  tJiere- 
fore  an  Association  cannot  legislate  for  the  churches, 

exercise  any  authority  over  them,  or  bind  them  in 
any  way  by  its  own  action.  Whatever  is  done 
while  in  session,  is  of  authority  only  to  those  who 
do  it;  that  is,  the  members — pastors  and  delegates. 
They   may  make    suggestions  to  the  churches,  or 


336  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

present  appeals,  and  lay  requests  before  them;  to 
all  of  which  the  churches  will  give  such  attention 
as  may  seem  to  them  right  and  proper. 

7.  The  fact  that  the  messengers  are  appointed  by 
their  respective  churches  argues  nothing  as  to  their 
being  invested  with  delegated  power.  This  ap- 
pointment is  made  at  the  request  of  the  Association, 
and  according  to  its  constitutional  provisions,  as  the 
most  convenient  and  equitable  method  of  constitut- 
ing the  body,  not  because  the  appointment  carries 
any  ecclesiastical  authority  with  it.  These  messen- 
gers bear  the  letters  and  salutations  of  their  churches, 
and  consult  with  the  other  members  as  to  the  ob- 
jects for  the  interest  of  which  they  meet. 

8.  An  Association  is  an  independent  body,  not 
subject  to  the  authority  or  control  of  the  churches 
any  more  than  the  churches  are  subject  to  its  au- 
thority and  control.  It  frames  its  own  constitution, 
makes  its  own  by-laws,  elects  its  own  officers,  and 
manages  its  own  business,  without  dictation  from 
any  one.  Within  its  own  sphere  of  action  it  is  just 
as  independent  as  a  Church  is  within  its  sphere  of 
action.  It  fixes  the  terms  of  membership  and  the 
conditions  on  which  the  churches  may  associate; 
designates  the  number  of  messengers  to  be  sent  from 
each  Church,  orders  its  own  exercises,  meets  and 
adjourns  at  its  own  pleasure.  If  any  Church  does 
not  approve  the  proceedings  it  can  refuse  to  affili- 
ate, and  withdraw  at  any  time  from  the  Associa- 
tion, if  it  thinks  best. 

9.  In  the  exercise  of  its  independence,  also,  the 


RELATED    SOCIETIES.  33/ 

Association  can  refuse  to  receive  its  messengers,  and 
drop  from  its  fellowship  any  Church  that  has  vio- 
lated the  constitution  and  the  original  compact,  or 
that  has,  in  any  matter  deemed  vital,  departed  from 
the  faith  and  practice  of  the  associated  churches 
and  the  denomination.  Provisions  for  such  emer- 
gencies are  made  in  the  constitutions  of  all  Associa- 
tions; also,  the  process  of  fraternal  labor  to  be  pur- 
sued with  the  recusant  Church  before  final  excision 
shall  be  decreed  is  likewise  prescribed. 

Note  i. — Should  one  of  the  associated  churches  be  com- 
monly reported  to  have  become  unsound  in  the  faith,  or 
irregular  in  practice,  to  have  violated  the  constitutional  pro- 
visions, or  broken  the  compact  accepted  at  the  union,  and 
these  reports  seem  credible,  it  would  be  the  right  and  the 
duty  of  the  Association  to  inquire  into  the  case,  by  commit- 
tee or  otherwise,  and  ascertain  the  facts.  The  Association 
would  have  no  right  to  call  the  Church  to  account,  to  exer- 
cise any  authority  on  it,  reprimand  or  censure  it;  but  only  to 
ascertain  the  facts  in  the  case,  and  then  to  take  such  action 
as  their  mutual  relations  warranted,  Such  action  might  re- 
sult in  the  Church  being  disfellowshiped,  dropped  from  the 
minutes,  and  all  intercourse  with  it  discontinued.  That 
would  be  the  extent  of  an  exercise  of  disciplinary  power  on 
a  Church  by  an  Association. 

Note  2. — If  an  Association  should  disfellowship  a  Church 
and  drop  it  from  its  minutes,  that  act  would  not  interrupt 
the  intercourse  and  fellowship  of  said  Church  in  its  relation 
to  other  churches.  An  Association  cannot  act  for  the 
churches,  but  only  for  itself;  nor  can  it  exercise  disciplinary 
power  beyond  its  own  corporate  limits.  Such  an  act  of  dis- 
fellowship would  indeed  be  presumptive  evidence  that  some- 
thing was  wrong  in  the  Church  dropped.  But  if  the  fellow- 
22 


338  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

ship  of  other  churches  is  to  be  interrupted,  or  withdrawn,  it 
must  be  by  their  own  act;  the  Association  cannot  do  it;  it 
acts  for  itself  alone,  not  for  the  churches. 

Note  3. — Should  the  pastor  of  one  of  the  associated 
churches  be  known,  or  believed,  to  be  a  disreputable  and 
unworthy  man,  the  Association  would  not  be  obliged  to  ac- 
cept him  as  a  member  of  the  body,  or  allow  his  name  to  ap- 
pear on  their  minutes — to  do  which  would  give  him  a  quasi 
endorsement  and  recommendation.  They  could  refuse  to 
do  this,  and  thereby  free  themselves  from  all  responsi- 
bility as  to  his  standing.  Such  an  act,  however,  could  not 
affect  his  relation  to  the  Church  of  which  he  was  the  pastor, 
nor  yet  to  other  churches.  If  those  relations  are  to  be  inter- 
rupted, it  must  be  by  the  action  of  the  Church,  or  the  churches 
themselves.     No  one  else  can  act  for  them. 

Note  4. — If  an  associated  Church  persists  in  retaining  and 
supporting  for  its  pastor  a  man  of  bad  reputation,  generally 
believed  to  be  unfit  for  the  ministry,  and  unworthy  of  confi- 
dence, the  Association  can  refuse  to  receive  the  man,  and 
they  can  disfellowship  and  drop  the  Church,  should  the  case 
become  serious.  They  possess  this  right;  but  such  disfel- 
lowship does  not  carry  with  it  the  disfellowship  of  the  other 
churches.  Their  intercourse  with  the  dropped  Church  or 
man  is  not  interrupted  until  they  interrupt  it  by  their  own 
action.  The  Association  acts  for  itself,  not  for  the  churches. 
Such  action  may  at  times  become  necessary,  in  order  to  free 
the  body  from  apparent  complicity  with  evil,  and  to  relieve 
other  pastors  and  messengers  from  all  responsibility  in  sus- 
taining and  giving  currency  to  an  unworthy  man  or  an  un- 
worthy Church. 

Note  5.— Many  of  the  larger  Associations— especially 
those  that  centre  in  cities  and  towns — became  incorporated, 
with  a  board  of  legally  elected  trustees,  for  the  purpose  of 
holding  and  managing  real  estate,  not  for  speculative  uses, 
but  to  aid  mission  stations  and  feeble  churches  to  houses  of 
worship.     These  trustees  act  for,  and  under  the  direction  of, 


RELATED    SOCIETIES.  339 

the  body,  while  the  churches  furnishing  funds  for  the  purpose. 
Thus  the  Association  becomes  an  efficient  missionary  organ- 
ization within  its  own  bounds. 

Note  6. — In  former  times,  when  churches  were  less  nu- 
merous, and  obtaining  counsel  in  perplexing  matters  was 
more  difficult,  it  was  no  uncommon  thing  for  them,  vexed 
with  divisive  questions  of  doctrine,  order  or  discipline,  to 
send  up  queries  to  the  Associations  at  their  annual  meetings, 
and  thereby  seek  advice  from  the  assembled  wisdom,  which 
might  dispel  their  doubts.  These  queries  were  considered 
warily,  and  answered  with  caution;  usually  protesting  that 
they  could  not  meddle  with  the  internal  affairs  of  the 
churches,  and  that  the  Association  was  not  a  legislative 
body  to  enact  laws,  nor  an  ecclesiastical  court  to  settle  ques- 
tions judicially  for  them.  They  could  express  an  opinion,  or 
give  advice — nothing  more.  They  were  very  jealous  for  the 
independency  of  the  churches.  So  it  is  now,  and  should  ever 
continue  to  be. 

II.      STATE  CONVENTIONS. 

As  a  single  Association  covers  a  limited  extent 
of  territory,  and  the  various  Associations,  whose 
boundaries  touch,  hold  no  organic  relation  to  each 
other,  but  each  working  for  the  same  end,  in  a  sim- 
ilar way,  it  has  been  thought  wise  to  have  a  more 
general  organization,  extending  over  and  embrac- 
ing the  fields  of  all  the  Associations  in  the  State. 
This  is  called  a  Baptist  State  Conve7itio7i,  or,  as  in 
many  States  it  is  termed,  a  General  Association. 
This  latter  designation  is  by  some  supposed  more 
accurately  to  express  its  relation  to  the  local  or 
district  Associations. 

The  Convention  is  a  missionary  organization,  to 


340  THE  NEW  DIRECTORY. 

operate  in  extending  evangelical  religion  within  the  . 
bounds  of  the  State,  in  connection  with  the  Associa- 
tions and  churches.  It  works  by  sustaining  feeble 
interests  and  supporting  missionaries  in  destitute 
neighborhoods.  This  is  done  either  in  cooperation 
with  the  Associations  within  their  bounds,  or  else 
in  fields  which  they  cannot  cultivate.  Sometimes 
the  Associations  work  under  the  general  direction 
of  the  Convention,  and  report  to  it  and  through  it. 
But  all  this  is  according  to  mutual  agreement,  since 
each  is  equally  independent  in  its  own  sphere.  In 
addition  to  the  strictly  spiritual  culture  of  their 
fields,  State  Conventions  not  unfrequently  plant  and 
foster  educational  institutions,  especially  denomina- 
tional academies  and  schools  for  higher  learning. 

The  composition  of  State  Conventions  is  varied 
and  indefinite.  Associations  are  uniformly  consti- 
tuted by  the  pastors  and  delegates  or  messengers 
from  the  churches.  The  membership  of  Conven- 
tions, according  to  their  mutually  arranged  and 
voluntary  constitutional  provisions,  is  composed  of 
persons  appointed  by  contributing  churches,  dele- 
gates sent  by  cooperating  Associations,  individuals 
who  make  themselves  annual  or  life  members  by 
the  payment  of  a  specified  sum,  and  perhaps  still 
other  classes,  as  may  be  provided;  while  no  person 
can  be  a  member,  unless  he  be  a  member  in  good 
standing  of  some  regular  Baptist  Church,  yet,  to  a 
large  extent,  a  money  qualification  is  insisted  on, 
the  better  to  stimulate  liberality  and  secure  funds 
to  the  treasury. 


RELATED    SOCIETIES.  34I 

The  meetings  are  held  annually  for  two  or  three 
days — one  day  being  usually  given  to  a  State  pas- 
tors' conference.  Reports  are  made  by  the  Asso- 
ciations, addresses  by  missionaries  and  others,  plans 
projected  for  enlarged  endeavors — special  time  and 
attention  being  given  to  the  Sunday-school  cause. 
The  anniversaries  alternate  between  different  sec- 
tions of  the  State,  and  are  held  chiefly  in  the  larger 
communities,  the  smaller  churches  finding  it  diffi- 
cult to  accommodate  the  numbers  which  attend,  for 
whose  entertainment  gratuitous  provision  is  usually, 
though  not  always  made. 

III.      MINISTERS'   MEETINGS. 

In  nearly  all  compact  communities,  and,  indeed, 
in  many  rural  and  scattered  neighborhoods,  the 
Baptist  pastors  form  associations  for  mutual  inter- 
course and  improvement,  called  Ministers'  Meetings ^ 
Pastors'  Conferences^  or  other  similar  names.  They 
organize  with  a  simple  constitution  and  by-laws, 
and  constitute  a  voluntary  and  independent  society 
for  the  purpose  set  forth.  They  have  no  organic 
connection  with  the  churches,  and  possess  no  eccle- 
siastical character  or  significancy.  Essays  are  read 
for  criticism  on  assigned  topics,  plans  of  sermons 
presented,  sermons  preached  also  for  criticism,  and 
discussions  held  on  subjects  germane  to  ministerial 
culture  and  service. 

These  meetings  are  held  monthly,  or,  in  larger 
communities,  weekly.     They  are  composed  mostly 


342  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

of  pastors,  but  in  some,  ministers  without  a  charge, 
and  even  deacons,  are  admitted.  These  meetings  have 
no  right  of  interference  with  the  churches,  and  no 
action  they  can  take  with  reference  to  any  pastor 
who  is  a  member,  can  affect  that  pastor's  relation 
to  his  Church.  They  have  the  right  to  admit,  dis- 
miss, or  expel  their  own  members,  but  cannot  inter- 
fere with  the  relations  the  various  pastors  sustain 
outside  the  conference  itself. 

IV.      OTHER   SOCIETIES. 

There  are  other  denominational  societies,  well 
known  to  all,  sustained  for  Christian  service  in  con- 
nection with  our  denominational  activities.  The 
Missionary  Union,  for  conducting  Baptist  mis- 
sions in  foreign  lands;  the  Home  Mission  Soci- 
ety, performing  a  similar  service  in  our  own  coun- 
try ;  the  Publication  Society,  for  disseminating  a 
denominational  literature;  an  Education  Society — 
indeed,  many  of  them,  one  general,  and  many 
local — for  the  establishment  and  support  of  schools 
of  learning;  a  Historical  Society,  for  the  collection 
and  preservation  of  denominational  records.  The 
Southern  Baptist  Convention  represents  the  mis- 
sion work  of  Baptists  in  the  Southern  States,  both 
home  and  foreign.* 

These  various  missionary  organizations  are  so 
many  voluntary  and  independent  societies,  sustain- 

*  See  Appendix  for  a  historical  sketch  of  our  various  mission- 
ary organizations. 


RELATED    SOCIETIES.  343 

ing  no  organic  connection  with  the  churches;  are 
not  controlled  by  them,  and  cannot  control  them. 
They  derive  their  financial  support  from  the  churches, 
to  which  churches  they  make  appeals,  and  to 
which  appeals  they  respond  as  they  may  feel  in- 
clined. Membership  in  these  various  organizations 
is  largely  secured  by  the  payment  of  a  stipulated 
sum  of  money.  Usually  they  are  incorporated  so- 
cieties, holding  property  devoted  exclusively  to  the 
purposes  of  their  work.  Many  other  societies  not 
here  named,  exist,  operating  on  local  fields  for  va- 
rious beneficent  purposes  connected  with  our  de- 
nominational work  and  welfare. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

ORDINATION. 

Ordination,  in  its  popular  sense,  is  that  form  of 
service  by  which  men  are  admitted  to  the  ranks  of 
the  Christian  ministry,  and  to  the  exercise  of  its 
functions.  So  important  a  relation  does  this  ser- 
vice sustain  to  the  character  of  the  men  who  fill 
their  pulpits  and  become  the  instructors  and  guides 
of  the  churches,  that  ritualistic  communions  hold 
it  as  a  sacrament.  While  ordination  is  but  one  of 
the  avenues  by  which  worthy  men  can  be  admitted 
to,  and  unworthy  men  excluded  from,  the  sacred 
office,  yet  it  is  one,  and  should  be  sedulously  guarded 
by  watchful  churches  and  conscientious  Councils 
and  Presbyteries — that  the  ministry  be  kept  pure 
and  true  to  its  high  calling.  For,  while  neither 
churches  nor  Councils  can  prevent  a  man  from 
preaching,  if  he  desires  to  do  it,  and  can  secure 
hearers,  they  can  refuse  him  recognition  and  fel- 
lowship in  such  a  course,  and  ought  to  do  it,  if  they 
believe  him  unfit  or  unworthy. 

Ordination,  therefore,  as  the  act  by  which  men 
are  admitted  to  the  rank  and  functions  of  religious 
teachers  among  our  people,  and  pastors  of  the  flock 

344 


ORDINATION.  345 

of  Christ,  becomes  a  matter  of  serious  moment,  and 
should  be  well  considered.  Its  motive,  its  purpose 
and  its  effect  should  be  clearly  understood. 

To  do  this  in  the  light  of  Baptist  Church  polity, 
the  following  questions  must  be  asked  and  an- 
swered: 

I.  What  is  ordination.?  2.  By  whom  is  ordina- 
tion ?  3.  What  is  the  effect  of  ordination  }  4.  Is 
ordination  to  be  repeated  } 

Primary  Propositions. 

The  discussion  which  follows  will  maintain,  and 
it  is  believed  will  establish,  the  following  proposi- 
tions: 

Prop.  I.  That  the  ordination  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment was  an  election,  or  appointment,  to  the  minis- 
terial office,  and  not  a  ceremonial  setting  apart,  or 
consecration  to  that  office. 

Prop.  II.  That  there  is  no  proof  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament that  persons  chosen  to  the  office  of  elder, 
pastor  or  bishop  in  the  apostolic  churches  were  des- 
ignated for,  or  inducted  into,  that  office  by  any 
formal  service  or  ceremony  whatever. 

Prop.  III.  That,  though  the  laying  on  of  hands  was 
common  on  many  occasions,  as  an  ancient  Oriental 
Jewish  and  early  Christian  form  of  blessing,  espe- 
cially in  the  bestowment  of  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit, 
yet  there  is  neither  precept  nor  precedent  in  the 
New  Testament  to  require  its  use  in  the  ordination 
of  Christian  ministers. 

Prop.  IV.  That,  while  some  public  service  of  in- 


346  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

auguration  and  designation  for  one  who  first  enters 
the  ministry,  or  at  any  subsequent  entrance  upon  a 
new  field  of  labor,  would  be  very  appropriate  and 
becoming  as  expressing  the  approval  and  fellowship 
of  other  ministers  and  the  churches,  yet  such  ser- 
vice is  not  of  divine  authority,  and  cannot  be  made 
obligatory  or  essential,  either  to  the  lawfulness  of 
ministerial  standing  or  to  the  validity  of  ministerial 
acts. 

Prop.  V.  That  if  such  ordination  or  recognition 
services  be  held,  their  form  and  order  are  matters 
of  liberty  and  choice  with  those  concerned  in  them, 
since  they  are  prescribed  by  no  Scriptural  authority. 

Prop.  VI.  That,  since  all  ecclesiastical  authority 
resides  in  the  local,  visible  Church  according  to  the 
New  Testament  polity,  therefore  the  right  to  set 
apart,  as  well  as  to  elect,  belongs  to  the  Church  alone, 
and  the  only  sphere  of  Council  or  Presbytery  action 
is  that  of  advice  to,  and  cooperation  with,  the  Church, 
being  in  no  sense  authoritative  or  essential. 

Prop.  VII.  That  while,  for  the  sake  of  order  and 
propriety  it  is  becoming  for  accredited  ministers  to 
conduct  all  public  religious  services  on  ordinary  oc- 
casions, yet  ceremonial  ordination  is  not  essential 
to  the  ministry  of  the  Word,  nor  to  the  administra- 
tion of  the  ordinances;  therefore,  a  Church  without 
an  ordained  minister  may,  with  the  strictest  propri- 
ety, direct  a  private  member  to  administer  the  ordi- 
nances, conduct  its  services,  and  preside  in  its 
assemblies;  and,  indeed,  this  should  be  done  for  the 
edification  of  the  body. 


ORDINATION.  34? 

Prop.  VIII.  That  reordination,  in  the  case  of  minis- 
ters who  come  to  us  from  other  evangelical  denom- 
inations, is  a  matter  of  Christian  liberty,  optional 
with  those  concerned,  but  cannot  be  made  essen- 
tial to  ministerial  character  or  the  validity  of  min- 
isterial acts,  though  it  may  with  propriety  be  made 
to  conform  to  prevailing  custom,  for  the  sake  of 
uniformity  in  usage. 

Our  space  will  admit  of  little  more  than  a  state- 
ment of  positions  deemed  true  and  tenable  ;  while 
many  of  the  arguments,  and  most  of  the  authorities 
by  which  these  positions  are  maintained  must  be 
omitted. 

I.      WHAT   IS   ORDINATION  ? 

This  question,  to  be  clearly  answered,  needs 
definition  and  limitation.  Ordination  means  differ- 
ent things  to  different  minds,  and  according  to  dif- 
ferent ecclesiastical  standards. 

It  is  defined  to  be  the  act  and  form  of  setting  one 
apart  to  the  work  of  the  Christian  ministry;  or  in- 
duction into  the  sacred  office.  Or,  in  a  little  more 
formal  and  churchly  language  it  is  "  the  act  of  con- 
ferring holy  orders,  with  prayer,  and  the  imposition 
of  hands."  If,  however,  a  more  comprehensible  ex- 
planation be  desired,  as  to  both  the  form  and  sub- 
stance of  it,  we  must  keep  in  mind  the  point  of  view 
from  which  it  is  contemplated. 

First,  there  is  the  ordination  of  present  usage 
a.s  held  and  oractised   by  the  various  Christian  de- 


348  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

nominations,  with  great  diversity  of  subjective  im- 
port and  ceremonial  observance. 

Second,  there  is  the  ordination  of  history  which 
found  its  highest  conception  and  most  complete  ex- 
pression in  the  mediaeval  Latin  and  Greek  churches, 
which  held  it  as  a  sacrament,  invested  it  with  the 
sanctity  of  inspiration  and  surrounded  it  with  the 
pageantry  of  an  imposing  ritualism. 

Thirdy  there  is  the  ordination  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament, which  differs  from  both  the  others, and  which 
alone  need  command  the  regard  or  research  of  those 
churches  who  claim  to  draw  both  the  form  and  spirit 
of  all  life  from  that  sacred  fountain  of  ecclesiastical 
order  and  authority. 

Our  inquiry,  then,  is  narrowed  to  this  question. 
What  is  the  ''ordination"  of  the  New  Testament  .!* 

The  English  words  ordain  and  ordained,  are  used 
with  some  frequency  in  the  sacred  writings,  and 
render  several  Greek  words,  but  constitute,  as  every 
careful  reader  knows,  no  argument  for  ceremonial 
ordination,  as  now  or  formerly  practised. 

In  Mark  3  :  14  it  is  said  Jesus  *'  ordained  {epoieese) 
twelve,  that  they  should  be  with  Him."  It  implies 
no  **  setting  apart,"  but  simply  an  appointment,  a 
choice. 

In  Luke  10:  I  it  is  said,  "the  Lord  appointed 
{anedeixen)  other  seventy  also."  The  word  means 
to  point  out,  to  declare,  to  appoint.  Has  no  refer- 
ence to  formal  induction  into  office. 

In  I  Tim.  2 :  7,  Paul  says,  "  Whereunto  I  am  or- 
dained {etetheen)  a  preacher,  and  an  apostle."  Here 


ORDINATION.  349 

the  word  means  to  set,  to  constitute,  to  appoint,  and 
has  no  reference  to  ceremonial  ordination. 

In  Acts  I  :  22  Peter  declares  that  one  must  be 
ordained  {genesthai)  to  be  a  witness  of  the  resur- 
rection of  Jesus,  to  fill  the  place  of  Judas.  Here 
the  word  means  to  select,  elect,  appoint,  to  bring 
about,  cause  to  be. 

In  Acts  14  :  23  it  is  said  of  Paul  and  Barnabas, 
*'  when  they  had  ordained  {cheirotonee sanies)  them 
elders  in  every  city,"  etc.  This  much-quoted  word, 
which  has  been  relied  on  to  prove  a  ritualistic  or- 
dination, by  the  "  laying  on  of  hands,"  the  best 
scholarship  decides  to  mean  the  stretching  out 
of  the  hand  or  the  lifting  up  of  the  hand  as  in  vot- 
ing. The  meaning  of  which  here  is,  that  the  Apos- 
tles secured  the  election  of  elders  by  the  vote  of  the 
churches,  with  no  reference  to  ceremonial  induction 
into  office.* 

The  word  used  in  Titus  i  :  5,  **  ordain  elders  in 
every  city,"  is  katasteesees^  which  means  to  set,  to 

*  This  word,  Cheirotoneoo,  Robinson,  in  his  N.  T.  Lexicon,  de- 
fines, "  to  stretch  out  the  hand,  to  hold  up  the  hand,  as  in  voting; 
hence  to  vote;  to  give  one's  vote.  In  N.  T.  to  choose  by  vote,  to 
appoint."  Green,  \n  his  N.  T.  Lexicon,  defines  it,  "to  stretch 
out  the  hand;  to  constitute  by  voting;  to  appoint."  Donnegan,\ti 
his  Greek  Lexicon,  defines,  "  to  stretch  forth  the  hand;  to  vote  in 
an  assembly  by  extending  the  hand;  to  elect,  to  choose."  The 
only  places  where  this  word  is  used  in  the  N.  T.  are  that  already 
named.  Acts  14:  23,  and  2  Cor.  8:  19,  where  Paul  speaks  of  the 
brother  "  who  was  chosen  {Cheirotoneetheis)  of  the  churches  to 
travel  with  us."  Here  the  choice  or  appointment  of  the  brother 
is  the  only  thing  indicated. 


3^0  THE   NEW   DlRECTORV. 

place,  to  constitute,  to  set  over.  And  which  Rob- 
inson defines,  '*  to  constitute,  to  make;"  and  Green, 
**  to  place,  constitute,  set,  appoint." 

I.    The   TestUnony  of  Scholars. 

Dr.  Dexter,  with  reference  to  these  cases,  says  : 

"  There  being  no  hint  in  either  case  of  any  thing  of  a 
character  like  what  is  commonly  called  ordination  in  our 
time."  "  Fairly  translated,  and  unmodified  by  any  coloring 
from  subsequent  unscriptural  ecclesiastical  usage,  these  texts 
would  never  have  suggested  any  such  act  as  that  which  is 
called  *  ordination*  hy  the  common  speech  of  men." — Con- 
gregationalism, pp.  fjS,  ijg. 

Dean  Alford  says  : 

"  The  word  {Cheirotoneesantes)  will  not  bear  Jerome's  and 
Chrysostom's  sense  of  '  laying  on  of  hands,'  adopted  by 
Roman  Catholic  expositors.  Nor  is  there  any  reason  for  de- 
parting from  the  usual  meaning  of  electing  by  show  of  hands. " 
— Comments  on  Acts  14 :  2j. 

Dr.  Hackett  renders  the  phrase  : 

"  Now  having  appointed  for  them  elders  in  every  Church,  " 
which  he  interprets  thus;  "having  appointed  for  them  by 
their  outstretched  hand." — Comment  in  loco. 

Dean  Alford  renders  the  passage,  Titus  i  :  5, 

"And  mightest  appoint,  city  by  city,  elders. "  He  sees  no 
ceremonial  ordination  in  it. 

Conybeare  renders  it  : 

"  Mightest  appoint  presbyters  in  every  city." — Com.  in  loco. 


ORDINATION.  3.5 1 

Bloomfield  says  : 

"  There  is  indeed  no  point  on  which  the  most  learned  have 
been  so  much  agreed,  as  this,  that  Cheirotoneesantes  here 
simply  denotes  having  selected,  constituted,  appointed."— 
Com.  on  Acts  14:  2j. 

Dr.  Lyman  Coleman  says : 

"  This  conclusion  is  sustained  by  the  most  approved  au- 
thorities. According  to  Suicer,  the  primary  and  appropriate 
signification  of  the  term  is  to  denote  an  election  made  by  the 
uplifted  hand,  and  particularly  denotes  the  election  of  a 
bishop  by  vote."  "In  this  sense  it  continued  for  a  long 
time  to  be  used  in  the  Church,  denoting  not  an  ordination 
or  consecration,  but  an  election.  Grotius,  Meyer,  and  De 
Wette  so  interpret  the  passage,  to  say  nothing  of  Beza, 
Bohmer,  Rothe,  and  others." — Prim.  Christ., p.  64. 

Matthew  Tindale  says : 

"  We  read  only  of  the  Apostles  constituting  elders  by  the 
suffrages  of  the  people.  Acts  14  :  23,  which  is  the  genuine 
signification  of  the  Greek  word,  Cheirotoneesantes,  so  it  is  ac- 
cordingly interpreted  by  Erasmus,  Beza,  Diodoti,  and  those 
who  translated  the  Swiss,  French,  Italian,  Belgic,  and  even 
English  Bibles,  till  the  Episcopal  correction,  which  leaves  out 
the  words,  '  by  election,'  as  well  as  the  marginal  notes  which 
affirm  that  the  Apostles  did  not  thrust  pastors  into  the 
churches  through  a  lordly  superiority,  but  chose  and  placed 
them  there  by  the  voice  of  the  congregation." — Rights  of  a 
Christian  Church,  p.  jjS. 

Dr.  Victor  Lechler  (in  Lange),  says  : 

**  Cheirotonein  signifies  to  raise  the  hands,  to  vote,  to 
elect  by  stretching  out  the  hands.     The  expression,  accord- 


352  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

ingly,  suggests  the  thought  that  the  Apostles  may  have  ap^ 
pointed  and  superintended  a  congregational  election.  And 
this  view  is  supported  by  the  circumstances  related  in  chap. 
6:2,when  the  Twelve  directed  that  the  election  of  the  Seven 
should  be  held."^ Com.  on  Acts  14:  2j. 

Dr.  Gill  says  : 

"  The  election  and  call  of  them  [pastors]  with  their  ac- 
ceptance, is  ordination.  Election  and  ordination  are  spoken 
of  as  the  same."  "  Though  there  was  a  stretching  out  of  the 
hands,  there  was  no  imposition  of  hands  in  ordination." 
"  No  instance  can  be  given  of  hands  being  laid  on  any  or- 
dinary minister,  pastor,  or  elder  at  his  ordination." — Body  of 
Divinity,  pp.  523-6.  Phil.  Ed.,  18  10. 

A  want  of  space  forbids  further  citation  of  au- 
thorities. Nor  is  it  needful.  New  Testament  or- 
dination was  an  election,  an  appointment  to  oflfice, 
and  had  no  reference  whatever  to  any  formal  induc- 
tion into  office  ;  did  not  imply  any  ceremonial  in- 
vestiture, or  setting  apart  to  the  functions  of  that 
office.  The  New  Testament  calls  an  election  to 
office,  ordination  ;  we  call  the  setting  apart  of  those 
elected,  ordination.  Those  who  are  jealous  for 
New  Testament  models,  should  correct  their  phrase- 
ologies by  the  New  Testament  standard. 

It  may  be  fairly  asked — admitting  that  ordination 
in  the  New  Testament  sense  was  an  election,  an 
appointment — Were  not  those,  thus  elected,  set  apart 
by  formal  ceremonies  to  the  discharge  of  their  offi- 
cial duties  }  This  we  can  neither  affirm  nor  deny. 
We  simply  do  not  know.  There  is  neither  precept, 
example,  nor  manifest  inference  to  decide  the  ques- 


ORDINATION.  353 

tion.  It  has  usually  been  taken  for  granted  that  the 
primitive  ministry  was  inducted  into  office  by  formal 
services,  and  that  "  prayer  with  the  laying  on  of 
hands,"  was  the  essential  part  of  such  ordination. 
But  this  has  been  accepted  as  scriptural,  not  be- 
cause it  is  found  in  the  Scriptures,  but  because  Pre- 
latical  and  Presbyterial  authorities  have  interpreted 
the  Scriptures  by  their  own  ecclesiastical  usages, 
rather  than  adjusted  their  usages  to  the  New  Testa- 
ment teaching.  They  have  seen  Episcopal  and 
Presbyterian  ordination  in  the  New  Testament  be- 
cause they  saw  it  in  their  Church  standards  and 
practices.  Their  scholars  have  largely  so  inter- 
preted the  text,  and  Baptists  have  accepted  their 
conclusions  without  even  their  justification. 

2.    The  Laying  on  of  Hands. 

But  does  not  Paul  expressly  declare  to  Timothy 
that  he  was  ordained  and  set  apart  to  the  work  of 
the  ministry  by  the  laying  on  of  his  hands  and  the 
hands  of  the  Presbytery  }  No  ;  he  makes  no  such 
declaration.  Does  he  not  enjoin  Timothy  not  to 
ordain  any  man  hastily  by  suddenly  laying  hands 
on  him  }  No  ;  he  makes  no  such  declaration,  as  we 
shall  see. 

The  subject  of  "  the  laying  on  of  hands  "  must  be 

treated  very  briefly  in  this  place.      It  was  an  old 

Jewish    and    common    Oriental    custom,    by   which 

benedictions  were  conferred  or  invoked,  and  other 

symbolical    acts    performed.      Our    Lord    laid    His 
23 


354  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

hands  on  the  sick  to  heal  them  ;  on  the  little  chil- 
dren to  bless  them.  The  Apostles  did  the  same. 
But  in  the  apostolic  church  this  act  was  chiefly 
associated  with  the  special  impartation  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  The  Charismata  was  thus  conferred.  Peter 
and  John  laid  hands  on  the  converts  at  Samaria, 
and  they  received  the  Holy  Ghost.  So  did  Paul  on 
the  twelve  disciples  at  Ephesus.  Ananias  laid  his 
hands  on  Saul  at  Damascus  that  he  might  receive 
his  sight,  and  be  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  Jesus, 
after  the  resurrection,  conferred  the  Holy  Ghost  by 
breathing  on  His  disciples.  And  His  farewell  bless- 
ing, when  He  ascended,  was  conferred  by  the  lifting 
up  of  His  hands. 

Now,  the  apostolic  precedents  relied  on  to  en- 
force ceremonial  ordination  by  the  laying  on  of 
hands,  are  the  following  : 

I.  The  ordination  of  the  Seven  as  related  in  Acts 
6  :  1-6.  The  true  ordination,  i.  e.,  the  election  in 
this  case  was  by  the  **  whole  multitude,"  '*  the  mul- 
titude of  the  disciples." 

But  this  case  is  not  in  point,  and  constitutes  no 
argument ;  since  this  setting  apart  was  to  a  secular 
office  and  not  to  a  spiritual  ministry  ;  to  the  serv- 
ing of  tables  and  not  to  preaching  of  the  Word.  An 
induction  into  the  Diaconate  and  not  into  the  Epis- 
copate. Moreover,  this  act  was  by  inspired  Apos- 
tles, who  have  no  successors.  Neither  the  Diaconate, 
the  Episcopate,  nor  the  Presbyterate  can  claim  to 
be  the  official  successors  of  the  Apostolate.  Pre- 
sumably this  act  was  for  their  especial  endowment 


ORDINATION.  355 

by  the  Charismata.     It  has  no  authority  unless  it 
be  in  the  ordination  of  deacons. 

2.  The  next  precedent  relied  on  is  the  case  of 
Barnabas  and  Saul,  sent  forth  to  the  Gentiles  by  the 
Church  at  Antioch,  Acts  13  :   1-3. 

But  this  was  not  an  ordination  in  any  technical 
sense.  Both  these  men  had  been  engaged  in  the 
active  work  of  the  ministry  for  years — not  less  than 
eight  or  nine,  possibly  twelve,  according  to  the  best 
chronological  data.  They  were  not  here  inducted 
into  the  ministry,  but  designated  to  a  new  field  of 
work.  Moreover,  this  designation  was  by  the 
special  and  express  dictation  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
showing  that  it  was  not  a  common  and  customary, 
but  an  extraordinary  and  wholly  exceptional  thing, 
and  therefore  not  an  imitable  example.  Also,  it  is 
wholly  undetermined  who  laid  hands  on  them, 
whether  the  prophets,  the  elders,  or  the  disciples 
generally. 

Dr.  Hackett  says  : 

"  Paul  was  already  a  minister  and  an  Apostle,  and  by  this 
service  he  and  Barnabas  were  now  merely  set  apart  for  the 
accomplishment  of  a  specific  work. " — Com.  in  loco. 

3.  The  next  case  usually  quoted  to  the  same  end, 
is  Paul's  injunctions  to  Timothy  ;  **  Neglect  not  the 
gift  that  is  in  thee,  which  was  given  thee  by 
prophecy,  with  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the 
Presbytery."— I  Tim.  4 :  14.  Also,  "Wherefore,  I 
put  thee  in  remembrance  that  thou  stir  up  the  gift  of 


356  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

God,  which  is  in  thee,  by   the  putting  on  of  my 
hands." — 2  Tim.  i  :  6. 

These  passages  are  held  to  prove  primitive  or- 
dination by  the  laying  on  of  hands.  This  inferen- 
tial reasoning  is  quite  of  a  piece  with  that  which 
proves  primitive  infant  baptisms  from  the  fact  of 
household  baptisms.  The  fact  is,  the  Apostle 
makes  not  the  least  allusion  to  ordination  in  these 
citations.  He  speaks  expressly  and  only  of  *'  the 
gift  of  God  "  (to  Charisma  tou  Theoti)^  which 
had  been  bestowed  by  the  laying  on  of  hands.  It 
would  do  no  more  violence  to  the  text  to  infer  that 
Paul  laid  his  hands  on  the  disciples  to  ordain  them, 
or  that  Peter  laid  his  hands  on  the  converts  at  Sa- 
maria for  the  same  purpose,  than  to  say  that  the 
above  texts  refer  to  Timothy's  ordination. 

Dr.  Van  Oosterzee,  in  Lange,  says  : 

"  There  is  here  absolutely  no  mention  of  ordination  in  the 
later  hierarchical  sense." — Coin,  on  2  Tim.  j :  6. 

Dr.  Ebrard,  the  continuator  of  Olshausen,  says  ; 

"  Ordination,  in  its  later  sense,  is  in  no  way  referred  to." 
— Com.  on  2  Tim.  i:  6. 

Dr.  Olshausen  says  : 

"  In  these  passages,  indeed,  it  is  the  laying  on  of  hands  for 
the  communication  of  the  Spirit  that  is  spoken  of,  not,  how- 
ever, for  a  definite  sphere  of  duty  or  a  special  calling,  but  for 
the  general  calling  of  the  Christian."— 0?^.  on  i  Tim.  4:  14, 


ORDINATION.  357 

Dr.  Van  Oosterzee,  in  Lange,  says  : 

"  Laying  on  of  hands.  This  was  of  old  a  symbol  of  th© 
communication  of  the  Holy  Spirit." — Com.  i  Tim,  4:  14. 

Dr.  Whitby  says  : 

"  The  Charisma,  or  gift  here  mentioned,  being  the  gift  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  was  usually  conferred  by  the  laying  on  of 
the  hands  of  an  Apostle."— G?^.  on  2  Tim.  i :  6. 

Dr.  Gill  says  : 

"And  since  gifts  have  ceased  being  conveyed  this  way, 
the  rite  of  laying  on  of  hands  in  ordination  seems  useless  and 
of  no  avail." — Covi,  on  i  Tim.  4:  14. 

Dr.  Conybeare  says: 

"  The  grace  of  God  required  for  any  particular  office  in 
the  early  Church  was  conferred  after  prayer  and  the  laying 
on  of  hands.  This  imposition  of  hands  was  repeated  when- 
ever one  was  appointed  to  a  new  office  or  commission."—' 
Com.  on  2  Tim.  i:  6,  Note  6. 

To  say  the  very  most  for  those  who  insist  that 
these  passages  refer  to  ordination,  it  must  be  con- 
fessed the  foundation  is  too  slender  and  uncertain  to 
allow  of  resting  on  them  any  doctrine,  or  imposing 
any  ceremony  that  shall  be  regarded  as  essential  to 
the  validity  of  ministerial  acts.  It  is  not  strange 
that  many  interpreters,  looking  at  these  passages 
through  their  own  standards  and  usages,  should  see 
ordination  recognized  where  the  Apostle  seemed  to 
see  nothing  but  extraordinary  spiritual  gifts  imparted 
by  the  imposition  of  hands. 


358  THE   NEW  DIRECTORY. 

4.  We  come  lastly  to  mention  the  text  much  re- 
lied on  to  prove  ceremonial  ordination  as  existing 
in  the  apostolic  Church;  and  while  it  fails  to  sub- 
stantiate that  doctrine,  it  is  undoubtedly  the  strong- 
est citation  for  that  purpose  that  can  be  made  from 
the  New  Testament.  It  is  i  Tim.  5:22. — **  Lay 
hands  suddenly  on  no  man."  This  is  interpreted  to 
mean,  "  do  not  ordain  and  put  into  the  ministry  any 
man,  hastily."  If  it  does  refer  to  ordination,  the 
inference  would  be  strong — though  not  conclusive — 
that  a  custom  prevailed,  of  inducting  men  into  the 
sacred  office  by  the  imposition  of  hands.  But  does 
it  refer  to  ordination  ?  It  has  generally  been  so  in- 
terpreted. But  we  learn  to  distrust  the  scholarship 
which  interprets  the  word  of  God  under  the  bias  of 
ecclesiastical  prepossession. 

This  passage  stands  near  the  end  of  a  chapter 
composed  of  a  variety  of  preceptive  injunctions,  in 
which  Timothy  is  advised  how  he  shall  conduct  the 
various  matters  referred  to  among  the  churches. 
The  injunction  immediately  preceding  is,  '*  Do 
nothing  through  partiality."  That  immediately  fol- 
lowing is,  "  Neither  be  partakers  of  other  men's 
sins."  The  connection  gives  us  no  clew  to  its  proper 
application. 

Dean  Alford,  while  he  believes  that  it  refers 
to  ordination,  cites  DeWette,  Wiesenger,  Huther, 
Hammond  and  EUicott,  who  interpret  it  of  receiv- 
ing back  into  the  Church  excommunicated  persons, 
as  from  the  later  testimony  of  Cyprian,  the  Nicene 
Council,  and  other  sources,  is  proved  to  have  been 


ORDINATION.  359 

the  early  practice  ;  except  as  Luther  regards  it  as 
simply  a  form  of  expressing  an  ecclesiastical  bene- 
diction. 

Dr.  Ebrard  says : 

"  It  should  be  understood  of  receiving  into  the  Christian 
fellowship  in  general,  or  of  restoring  to  this  fellowship  those 
that  had  fallen."  He  adds,  "  I  prefer  the  latter  view,  with 
DeWette,  from  regard  to  v.  20."  "  Baur  explains  the  passage 
principally  of  the  restoration  of  heretics,  of  which  he  adduces 
examples  from  a  later  period."  This  is  also- his  opinion, 
though  he  does  not  regard  the  evidence  as  decisive. — Com. 
in  loco. 

Dr.  Hammond  says : 

"This  belongs  to  the  laying  on  of  bishop's  hands  in  ab- 
solving penitents." — Com.  in  loco. 

Dr.  Van  Oosterzee,  in  Lange,  while  he  does 
not  feel  sure  as  to  the  interpretation  and  application 
of  the  w^ords,  says  : 

'•  But  the  question  is,  *  To  what  laying  on  of  hands  does 
the  Apostle  here  refer?'  According  to  DeWette  he  means 
the  admission  of  such  as  had  been  excluded  from  the  Church 
fellowship.  Without  doubt  the  connection  favors  this  opin- 
ion. And  already,  at  an  early  day,  the  laying  on  of  hands 
was  practiced  as  a  sign  of  absolution  for  excommunicated  or 
heretical  persons,  restored  into  the  pale  of  the  Church." — 
Com.,  I  Tim.  3: 22. 

Dr.  Ellicott  says : 

"  The  preceding  warning,  however,  and  still  more  the  de- 
cided language  of  the  following  clause,  appears  to  point  so 


360  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

very  clearly  to  some  disciplinary  functions,  that  it  seems  best, 
with  Hammond  (so  also  DeWette  and  Wiesenger)  to  refer 
these  words  to  the  Cheirothesia,  on  the  absolution  of  peni- 
tents and  their  re-admission  to  Church  fellowship." — Com- 
ment.  i  Tim.  j  /  22. 

McKnight  says : 

"Lay  hands  suddenly  on  no  man.  Appoint  no  one  to 
any  sacred  office,  hastily,  without  inquiry  into  his  character 
and  qualifications." — Com.  in  loco. 

Dr.  Wm.  B.  Johnson,  one  of  the  most  honored 
of  American  Baptists,  says  : 

"  As  there  is  not  a  solitary  case  in  the  New  Testament  of 
ordination  to  the  ministry  by  imposition  of  hands,  I  cannot 
suppose  that  the  direction  of  Paul  to  Timothy,  to  lay  hands 
suddenly  on  no  man,  does  refer  to  imposition  of  hands  in 
ordination." — The  Gospel  Developed,  pp.  /jj,  1^6. 

Dr.  J.  B.  Jeter,  a  man  acute,  discriminating  and 
conservative,  says : 

"In  the  primitive  age  very  little  stress  was  laid  on  the 
ceremonies  attending  the  induction  into  office.  The  Apos- 
tles laid  on  their  hands  several  times  to  confer  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Ghost;  but  never  in  confirmation  of  an  appointment  to 
office — except  in  the  case  of  the  Seven."  "There  is  no 
scriptural  proof  that  any  elder  or  bishop  of  any  Church  was 
ordained  by  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  an  Apostle,  or  of 
any  Christian  minister."  "In  the  apostolic  times  ordination 
was  simply  an  appointment  to  office."  "A  formal  ordina- 
tion service  is  not  essential  to  the  performance  of  ministerial 
duties;  but  it  is  eminently  becoming  and  useful.  The  ap- 
pointment of  a  Church  is  the  essence  of  ordination." — Relig- 
ious Herald,  editorial  of  May  2j,  iSy6, 


ORDINATION.  361 

An  attempt  to  extort  apostolic  authority  for  a 
ceremony  deemed  important,  if  not  absolutely  es- 
sential, from  a  text  so  variously  understood,  in 
which,  with  its  contexts,  Schleiermacher  found  *'  an 
extraordinary  confusion,"  and  which  the  best  schol- 
ars find  it  difficult  to  construe  with  satisfaction, 
would  be  something  more  than  absurd. 

Note  i. — Ordination,  therefore,  by  the  laying  on  of  hands, 
since  not  taught  in  the  New  Testament,  by  either  precept, 
example,  or  clear  inference,  is  not  essential  nor  obligatory. 

Note  2. — While,  however,  it  is  not  a  matter  of  obligation, 
it  is  also  not  contrary  to  the  letter  or  spirit  of  the  Scriptures, 
and  as  a  matter  of  Christian  liberty,  is  permissible. 

Note  3. — As  a  matter  of  liberty,  also,  the  form  and  man- 
ner of  induction  into  the  ministerial  office  is  optional  with 
the  churches  and  candidates  for  orders. 

Note  4. — Uniformity  in  order  among  the  churches  is  de- 
sirable. But  if  uniformity  be  demanded  as  essential  to  ortho- 
doxy, or  to  validity,  in  any  thing  not  clearly  taught  in  the 
New  Testament,  then  the  demand  should  be  resisted.  Christ 
is  the  only  lawgiver  for  the  churches. 

J.   Its  Place  among  the  Churches, 

Our  most  orthodox  Baptist  churches  formerly 
practiced  the  laying  on  of  hands  upon  persons  bap- 
tized. Some  still  practise  it ;  not  a  few  believe  it 
of  apostolic  origin.  Dr.  David  Benedict,  the  his- 
torian, declares,  "This  was  a  practice  of  high  au- 
thority in  our  denomination  in  other  countries,  and 
in  this  country  it  formerly  prevailed  much  more  ex- 
tensively than  at  the  present   time."*     When  the 

*  Fifty  Years  Among  the  Baptists,  p.  160. 


362  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Philadelphia  Association  adopted  the  London  Bap- 
tist Confession  of  1689,  they  added,  Sept.  15,  1742, 
an  article  (the  35th)  beginning,  '*  We  believe  that 
laying  on  hands  with  prayer,  upon  baptized  believ- 
ers, is  an  ordinance  of  Christ,  and  ought  to  be  sub- 
mitted unto  by  all  such  persons  that  are  admitted 
to  partake  of  the  Lord's  supper."*  This  article, 
however,  was  afterward  omitted. 

In  the  modern  Roman  Church  imposition  of  hands 
is  deemed  essential  in  the  sacraments  of  ordination, 
confirmation,  and  baptism.  Also  in  the  Anglican  and 
other  Episcopal  churches  it  is  similarly  used.  In  other 
Protestant  churches,  our  own  included,  it  retains  its 
place  only  in  ordination,  in  all  of  which  it  is  insisted 
on  with  a  tendency  to  sacramental  effect. 

Ordination,  therefore,  by  public  prayer  and  the 
imposition  of  hands  by  other  ministers,  is  not  essen- 
tial to  the  genuineness  of  ministerial  character  or 
the  validity  of  ministerial  acts.  It  does  not  make  a 
minister  any  more  than  inauguration  makes  the 
president.  He  is  president,  de  jure  and  de  facto ^  by 
virtue  of  his  election,  with  all  the  rights,  powers  and 
privileges  which  belong  to  the  office,  with  or  with- 
out an  inauguration.  Such  is  the  relation  of  ordina- 
tion to  the  ministry.  It  is  their  inauguration,  mak- 
ing public  the  election,  with  the  approval  and 
commendation  of  those  who  take  part  in  the  ser- 
vices.    And  this  only. 

The  fathers  of  New  England  orthodoxy  took  this 

*  See  Cutting's  Historical  Vindications,  p.  189. 


ORDINATION.  363 

view  of  the  matter ;   even  the  rigid  leaders  of  the 
Standing  Order 

Cotton  Mather  said : 

"  Our  fathers  reckoned  ordination  not  to  be  essential  unto 
the  vocation  of  a  minister,  any  more  than  coronation  to  the 
being  of  a  king;  but  that  it  is  only  a  consequent  and  con- 
venient adjunct  of  his  vocation,  and  a  solemn  acknowledg- 
ment of  it,  with  a  useful  and  proper  benediction  of  him  in 
it." — Magnah'a,  Vol.  III.,  pp.  242-j. 

Thomas  Hooker  said : 

"It  is  plain  that  ordination  presupposes  an  office  consti- 
tuted; does  not  constitute.  Therefore  it  is  not  an  act  of 
power,  but  of  order." — Right  and  Power  of  Ordination. 

The  Cambridge  Platform  says : 

"  Ordination  we  account  nothing  else  but  the  solemnly 
putting  a  man  into  his  place  and  office  in  the  Church,  where- 
to he  had  right  before  by  his  election;  being  like  the  install- 
ing of  a  magistrate  in  the  commonwealth." — Chapter  g, 
sees.  2,  4. 

Isaac  Backus,  clarum  et  venerabile  nomen  among 
Baptists,  said : 

"  And  ordination  of  ministers  is  no  more  than  swearing 
them  to  be  faithful  in  that  office.  Their  being  furnished 
with  grace  and  gifts  for  it  is  the  most  essential  thing  in  the 
affair."— ///j/.  N.  E.  Churches,  p.  in.  Phil,  ed.,  1833. 

Dr.  Knapp  says : 

"  That  a  religious  teacher  should  be  solemnly  consecrated 
to  his  office,  or  ordained,  is  indeed  useful,  both  to  the  teacher 


364  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

himself  and  to  the  Church.  But  in  itself  considered  it  is  not 
a  matter  juris  divino.  It  is  nowhere  expressly  commanded 
of  God,  and  contributes  nothing,  considered  as  an  external 
ceremony,  to  efficiency  and  activity  in  the  sacred  office." — 
Christ.  TheoL,  p.  477,  21st  Am.  ed. 

To  induct  a  minister  into  the  sacred  office  to 
which  he  has  been  chosen  by  some  public  service, 
though  required  by  no  scriptural  authority,  is  there- 
fore, nevertheless,  becoming,  appropriate  and  im- 
pressive. The  kind  of  service  and  the  form  of  the 
ceremony  may  well  be  left  to  those  directly  inter- 
ested to  decide.* 

II.    BY   WHOM   IS   ORDINATION.? 

Admitting  that,  for  the  sake  of  order,  ceremonial 
ordination  should  be  continued,  where  resides  the 
right  and  the  power  to  set  men  apart  to  this  service  } 
Is  it  in  a  Church,  or  in  a  Council  or  Presbytery } 

The  answer  is  brief,  and  should  be  conclusive. 
The  right  of  ordination  is  inherent  in  the  Church; 
and  in  no  other  body  of  men  whatever.  This  con- 
clusion is  inevitable  to  those  who  hold  to  Church 

*  It  would  be  difficult  to  conceive  of  a  more  impressive  ordina- 
tion service  than  that  of  the  celebrated  Robert  Hall,  by  the  Church 
of  which  he  was  a  member,  and  of  which  his  father  was  pastor,  at 
Arnsby,  England.  Of  this  we  have  an  account  in  his  memoirs 
by  Dr.  Olinthus  Gregory,  copied  from  the  Church  records. 
After  a  careful  examination  of  the  candidate  by  his  father  and  the 
Church,  and  an  appropriate  sermon  preached  by  his  father,  the 
Church  set  him  apart  "  by  lifting  up  their  right  hands,  and  solemn 
prayer."— ^a//* J  Works,    Vol.  III.,  p.  8. 


ORDINATION.  365 

independency,  and  repudiate  sacramental  ordination 
and  hierarchical  assumptions,  as  Baptists  do.  The 
contrary  claim,  that  the  right  inheres  in  a  Council 
or  Presbytery,  and  that  the  ceremony  must  be  per- 
formed by  those  who  have  had  hands  laid  on  them, 
in  order  to  be  valid,  is  so  preposterous,  that  no  man 
should  make  it  unless  he  be  prepared  to  defend  holy 
orders  by  Episcopal  hands  as  a  sacrament,  with  an 
uninterrupted  apostolical  succession.  For  to  that 
he  must  be  finally  driven. 

That  the  right  of  ordination  resides  in  the  local, 
visible  Church — though  ministers  may  be  called 
upon  to  advise  in  the  matter,  and  to  perform  the 
public  services — will  be  evident  from  the  following 
considerations : 

I.  Because  all  ecclesiastical  authority  resides  in 
the  local  Church.  This  is  the  only  organic  form  of 
Christian  life  divinely  appointed.  Christ  instituted 
no  society  but  the  Church,  and  to  it  He  committed 
authority  to  administer  His  laws.  This  is  the  Bap- 
tist doctrine,  held,  taught  and  defended,  always  and 
everywhere.  Councils  and  Presbyteries,  as  organ- 
ized bodies,  are  of  human,  not  of  divine  origin  or 
authority,  and  cannot  be  essential  to,  much  less 
supersede,  the  Church  in  the  performance  of  any 
ecclesiastical  functions. 

Dr.  Francis  Wayland  says : 

"  While  we  believe  that  men  are  to  be  set  apart  for  the 
duties  of  the  ministry,  in  whom  we  see  the  evidence  of  min- 
isterial gifts,  yet,  that  it  is  the  Church  itself — by  which  I 


366  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

mean,  not  the  clergy,  but  the  whole  body  of  Christians — 
which  sets  them  apart;  and  that  when  thus  appointed  to  this 
work,  they  are,  by  this  act,  rendered  no  better  or  holier  than 
their  brethren." — Principles  and  Practices,  p.  Jji. 

A  Council  is  created  by  the  Church  which  con« 
venes  it.  Now  to  suppose  that  a  Church  has  not 
power  to  ordain,  while  a  Council  has,  is  to  suppose 
that  the  body  created  has  more  power  than  that 
which  created  it.  Moreover,  the  Council  has  no  in- 
herent power,  and  possesses  only  what  the  Church 
which  called  it  has  conferred  upon  it.  It  is,  there- 
fore absurd  to  suppose  the  Council  can  do  more 
than  the  Church. 

And  further,  Christ  gave  to  the  churches  pastors 
and  teachers.  But  if  Councils  hold  the  right  to  or- 
dain, the  churches  cannot  enjoy  these  most  impor- 
tant gifts  of  ministerial  service  divinely  bestowed, 
without  the  consent  of  a  Council,  a  body  of  men 
for  which  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  made  no 
provision. 

2.  Because  a  Church  is  a  body  complete  in  itself 
as  to  authority,  though  without  officers.  It  has 
power  to  create  officers  out  of  its  own  members,  and 
set  them  apart  to  the  service  for  which  they  may  be 
chosen,  by  any  form  or  ceremony  it  may  choose,  or 
without  any  ceremony,  at  its  option.  The  right  to 
choose  and  enjoy  the  ministry  of  its  own  religious 
teachers,  without  let  or  hindrance  from  any,  is  one 
of  the  primary  rights  with  which  Chrij^t  has  invested 
His  churches.* 

*  See  chapter  on  Councils. 


ORDINATION.  367 

Haynes  says: 

"  The  Church  is  competent  to  make  her  own  ministers,  as 
far  as  man  can  make  them,  and  this  she  always  does  among 
the  Baptists.  She  authorizes  him  to  preach  by  her  own  H- 
cense,  which  is  granted  or  withheld,  as  she  thinks  best.  The 
essential  act  in  ordination  is  her  election  of  him  for  the  pur- 
pose, and  he  may  become  a  minister  or  a  pastor  without  the 
agency  of  the  Presbytery." — Baptist  Denomination,  p.  2^0. 

3.  Because  that  in  the  primitive  churches,  though 
there  was  an  apostleship  and  a  discipleship,  there 
was  no  such  division  into  clergy  and  laity  as  after- 
ward sprang  up  and  now  prevails.  There  was  no 
official  caste  or  class,  save  as  the  Holy  Spirit, 
working  in  each,  developed  certain  gracious  capa- 
bilities, which  the  churches  used  for  the  edification 
of  the  body.  It  was  neither  clei'ic  nor  laic,  but  a 
common  discipleship.  All  alike  constituted  a  holy 
priesthood,  ordained  to  offer  spiritual  sacrifices  unto 
God.  And  the  churches  selected  and  elected  teach- 
ers and  leaders,  as  the  fitting  qualifications  were 
developed  which  commended  the  individuals.* 

Dean  Stanley  said: 

"  The  Church,  the  Christian  society,  existed  in  those  faith- 
ful followers,  even  from  the  beginning,  and  will  doubtless  last 
unto  the  end."  "  But  even  for  years  after  the  Lord's  depart- 
ure such  a  society  existed  without  a  separate  order  of  clergy." 
— Christ.  Institutions,  p.  17 g. 

It  is  indisputable  that  after  the  primitive  age  the 
common  discipleship  was  divided  by  this  class-dis» 

*  See  chapters  on  the  Ministry  for  other  authorities. 


368  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

tinction  into  clergy  and  laity.  Then  developed  the 
hierarchical  tendency  to  wrest  ecclesiastical  author- 
ity from  the  churches  and  vest  it  in  an  ambitious 
clergy.  Especially  did  this  tendency  show  itself  in 
the  claim  that  the  right  of  ordination  belonged  ex- 
clusively to  the  clergy.  For  in  no  other  way  could 
they  so  effectually  dominate  the  churches  as  by 
holding  in  their  own  hands  the  exclusive  right  to 
consecrate  and  invest  their  pastors.  This  right  con- 
ceded, the  churches  were  powerless  in  the  grasp  of 
their  despotic  spiritual  rulers.  The  demand  now 
for  an  exclusive  clerical  ordination  has  this  same 
hierarchical  tendency  for  its  germ  and  life. 

Dr.  Crowell  said: 

"It  is  evident  that  the  right  to  consecrate  is  involved  in 
the  right  to  elect;  and  this  right,  as  we  have  seen,  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  has  vested  in  each  Church."  "  The  choice  or 
election  of  a  man  to  the  ministry  is  a  greater  act  than  that  of 
consecration  or  induction  into  office.  Consequently,  the 
Church,  which  is  competent  to  do  the  greater,  must  possess 
in  itself  the  power  essential  to  the  valid  performance  of  the 
less." — Ch.  Members  Manual,  pp.  106-7. 

Dr.  Dexter  says: 

"  If  ordination  is  the  mere  solemn  installing  of  a  function- 
ary, previously  appointed,  in  the  place  to  which  he  has  been 
chosen,  since  the  putting  in  the  place  is  a  lesser  act  than  the 
electing  to  the  place,  and  since  the  Church  has  done  the 
greater,  it  must  follow  that  the  power  must  rest  with  it  to  do 
the  less.  So  that,  if  a  Church  may  elect  its  pastor,  it  may 
ordain  him — which  is  but  the  carrying  out  of  that  election  to 
its  full  completion  and  result." — Congregationalism,  p.  14.1, 


ORDINATION.  369 

Dr.  Wm.  B.  Johnson  said: 

"The  sole  power  of  ordaining  to  the  pastorate  or  bish- 
opric is  lodged  with  the  churches." — Gospel  Developed,  pp, 
133. 144. 

Dr.  Strong  says: 

"  It  is  always  to  be  remembered,  however,  that  the  power 
to  ordain  rests  with  the  Church ;  and  that  the  Church  may 
proceed  without  a  Council,  or  even  against  the  decisions  of  a 
Council.  Such  ordination,  of  course,  would  give  authority 
only  within  the  bounds  of  the  individual  Church." — System- 
atic  Theology,  p.  ^14. 

Dr.  Wellman  said: 

"  It  should  not  only  be  understood,  but  it  should  be  more 
distinctly  and  formally  acknowledged  than  it  usually  is,  both 
by  the  ordaining  Council  and  the  members  of  the  Church, 
that  the  ordaining  power  is  vested  in  the  Church,  and  not  in 
the  Council." — Church  Polity  of  the  Pilgrims,  p.  114.  Cited 
by  Dexter,  p.  61,  note. 

4.  Because  the  claim  made  by  some,  that  while 
a  Church  may  have  the  right  to  ordain  or  set  apart 
a  minister  for  themselves,  ordination  by  a  Council 
makes  one  a  minister  for  the  whole  denoininatioriy  is 
false,  illogical  and  absurd.  A  Church  cannot,  in- 
deed, make  a  man  a  minister  to  any  but  themselves. 
The  fact  that  they  had  chosen  him  and  approved 
his  ministry,  would  to  that  extent  give  him  credit 
with  other  churches.  Nor  yet  can  a  Council  do 
any  more  than  give  a  man  the  credit  of  their  ap- 
proval and  commendation.     They  cannot  make  him 

a  minister    for    any   Church   save  that    one  which 
24 


370  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

asked  their  advice  and  cooperation  in  his  ordina- 
tion. 

It  js  preposterous  to  claim  that  a  Council  can 
assure  the  confidence  and  fellowship  of  the  entire 
denomination  to  any  man  on  whom  they  may  lay 
their  hands.  What  is  the  denomination  ?  It  is 
not  an  organic  entity;  it  has  no  corporate  exist- 
ence; it  is  not  an  ecclesiastical  body;  it  has  nei- 
ther organization,  laws  nor  officers,  and  has  no 
means  of  expressing  approval  or  dissent.  It  is  a 
mere  conception  of  the  aggregate  of  all  the  churches. 
The  ministers  who  lead  and  direct  its  activities  are 
not  the  denomination  ;,the  journals  that  speak  to 
and  for  it  are  not  the  denomination  ;  and  in  the 
sense  in  which  it  is  so  often  appealed  to,  or  spoken 
for,  it  is  a  fiction. 

When,  therefore,  did  the  denomination  authorize 
a  Council  or  Presbytery  to  ordain  a  man  into  its 
ministry,  or  give  him  the  credit  of  its  fellowship 
throughout  the  land  }  What  havoc  it  makes  with 
our  theory  of  Church  life,  to  claim  that  a  Council 
sitting  in  Maine  or  Vermont  can  make  a  man  an 
accredited  minister  for  all  the  churches  in  Missis- 
sippi or  Texas  or  Montana;  or  that  a  Presbytery 
acting  in  New  York  can  give  a  man  the  fellowship 
of  the  churches  in  Chicago,  St.  Louis  or  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  elsewhere  and  everywhere. 

And  since  it  is  by  this  same  theory  claimed  that 
a  Council  is  necessary  to  depose  an  unworthy  man, 
because  a  Church  can  neither  make  nor  unmake  a 
minister,  we  have  such  inconsistency  and  confusion 


ORDINATION.  3/1 

as  this.  A  Council  in  Massachusetts  ordains  a  man 
and  makes  a  minister  of  him  for  the  whole  denomi- 
nation, it  is  said;  while  a  Council  in  Virginia,  for 
cause,  deposes  him,  and  thereby  unmakes  a  minis- 
ter of  him  for  the  whole  denomination  !  And  nei- 
ther Council  knew  what  the  other  had  done,  or  that 
it  existed  ;  and  the  denomination — that  mythical 
something — was  ignorant  of  what  both  had  done, 
while  trading  on  its  credit  and  acting  without  its 
authority.  This  whole  theory  of  Council  authority 
is  false,  untenable  and  pernicious.  There  is  no  such 
discrimination  to  be  made  in  favor  of  the  power  of 
a  Council,  and  against  the  power  of  a  Church  in  the 
ordination  and  deposition  of  ministers.  All  that  a 
Council  can  do  is  to  examine,  advise  and  assist  a 
Church  when  called  upon  to  do  so. 

It  is  right,  however,  for  the  sake  of  order,  cour- 
tesy, and  prudence,  that  the  churches  consult  and 
cooperate  with  each  other.  But  if  this  be  insisted 
upon  as  a  matter  of  necessity,  then  we  protest,  and 
fall  back  on  what  the  fathers  called  *'  the  power  of 
the  keys,"  committed  by  Christ  to  the  churches. 
Uniformity  in  order  is  greatly  desirable.  But  when 
uniformity  is  made  compulsory  by  making  it  essen- 
tial in  things  not  vital,  then  nonconformity  becomes 
a  virtue  and  is  to  be  commended. 

John  Cotton  said : 

"The  warrant  by  which  each  particular  Church  doth  de. 
pute  some  of  their  own  body,  though  not  presbyters,  to  lay 
their  hands  on  those  whom  they  have  chosen  to  be  their 


372  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

presbyters,  is  grounded  upon  '  the  power  of  the  keys '  which 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  hath  given  to  the  churches."—  Way  of 
the  Churches,  p,  43. 

John  Robinson,  John  Davenport,  Thomas  Hooker, 
Samuel  Mather,  and  the  other  fathers  of  New  Eng- 
land Congregationalism,  held  the  same  opinion. 
Usually,  and  orderly,  of  course,  they  held  that  the 
elders,  when  present,  or  easily  accessible,  should 
perform  this  service,  just  as  when  present  they 
should  conduct  other  religious  services ;  but  their 
presence  and  assistance  was  not  iinperative.  The 
power  was  in  the  churches. 

The  Cambridge  Platform,  their  standard  of 
Church  order,  says : 

"  In  such  churches  where  there  are  no  elders,  imposition 
of  hands  may  be  performed  by  some  of  the  brethren,  orderly 
chosen  by  the  Church  thereto.  For  if  the  people  may  elect 
officers,  which  is  the  greater,  and  wherein  the  substance  of 
the  office  consists,  they  may  much  more  (occasion  and  need 
so  requiring),  impose  hands  in  ordination,  which  is  less,  and 
but  the  accomplishment  of  the  other." 

Dr.  Francis  Wayland,  on  methods  of  admit- 
ting to  the  ministry,  says  : 

"  I  believe  that  our  mode  is  not  only  as  good  as  any  other, 
but  that  it  is  more  nearly  than  any  other  conformed  to  the 
principles  of  the  New  Testament.  Let  our  churches,  then, 
never  surrender  the  authority  to  single  ministers,  or  to  Coun- 
cils, or  to  any  other  organization  whatever.  I  believe  that 
Christ  has  placed  it  in  their  hands,  and  they  have  no  right 
to  delegate  it.     Let  them  use  it  in  the  manner  required  by 


ORDINATION.  373 

the  Master,  and  it  can  be  placed  in  no  safer  hands." — Prin- 
ciples and  Prac.  of  Bapt.  Chs. ,  p.  100. 

III.    WHAT   IS   THE   EFFECT   OF   ORDINATION? 

What  does  ordination  do  for  a  man  }  What  is  he 
different  after  it,  from  what  he  was  before  "i  Does 
it  impart  any  new  rights,  powers,  privileges  or 
qualifications  to  him  } 

It  is  not  usually  claimed — certainly  not  among 
Baptists — that  ordination  endows  the  candidate  with 
any  intellectual,  moral,  or  spiritual  grace  which  he 
did  not  before  possess.  To  claim  that  it  did  would 
place  them  in  the  ranks  of  sacramentarians,  who 
see,  in  the  imposition  of  hands,  the  pledge  of  special 
spiritual  gifts,  as  in  apostolic  times.  But  this  ques- 
tion is  answered  by  prevailing  custom  and  current 
Christian  sentiment  thus:  the  ordained  minister  can 
lawfully  solemnize  marriage,  administer  the  ordi- 
nances, and  lay  hands  on  others,  which  the  unor- 
dained  cannot  lawfully  do.     Is  this  true  } 

Marriage  is  held  by  law  to  be  a  civil  contract, 
and  its  conditions  prescribed  by  statute.  The  vari- 
ous classes  of  persons  permitted  to  take  the  ac- 
knowledgments of  the  contracting  parties,  are 
specified.  Among  these  are  accredited  clergymen 
of  the  various  denominations,  so  recognized  by  the 
usages  of  their  own  churches.  An  unordained  per- 
son, in  the  eyes  of  the  law,  is  not  a  clergyman,  and 
therefore  is  not  legally  qualified  to  solemnize  mar- 
riage, although  the  marriage  contract  is  not  invali- 
dated by  such  defect,  when  so  performed;    but  he 


374  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

who  marries  the  parties,  being  thus  disqualified,  is 
subject  to  complaint  and  fine.  A  licentiate  is  not, 
in  a  legal  sense,  a  qualified  minister. 

As  to  imposition  of  hands  in  the  ordination  of 
ministers,  any  one  whom  the  Church  may  select  is 
competent  for  this  service.  It  is  customary  and 
proper  for  ministers  to  do  it,  if  such  be  present,  just 
as  it  is  proper  for  them  to  read  the  Scriptures,  give 
out  the  hymns,  and  make  the  addresses.  But  as  to 
its  validity  and  lawfulness,  the  one  is  just  as  good 
as  the  other. 

This  question  then  remains.  Is  it  right  and  proper 
for  an  unordained  man  to  administer  the  ordinances  ? 
The  prevailing  opinion  is,  that  he  has  no  such  right 
until  the  hands  of  the  Presbytery  have  been  laid  on 
him — an  opinion  that  finds  no  warrant  in  the  New 
Testament.  It  is  every  way  proper  and  becoming 
for  an  accredited  minister  to  baptize,  and  preside 
at  the  observance  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  just  as  it  is 
proper  for  him  to  preside  at  any  other  religious  ser- 
vice. But  it  is  a  notable  inconsistency  that  current 
religious  opinion  will  welcome  almost  any  man  into 
the  pulpit,  who  can  talk,  even  though  his  talk  be 
little  more  than  a  travesty  of  Gospel  preaching,  and 
yet  insist  that  the  administration  of  the  ordinances 
is  too  holy  a  service  for  any  unordained  man  to  per- 
form. 

Paul  made  it  a  strong  point  that  he  did  not  bap- 
tize, except  in  a  very  few  cases.*  His  call  Vas  to 
the  higher  office  of  preaching  the  Gospel.  The 
*  I  Cor.  I  :  14,  15. 


ORDINATION.  375 

ordinances  were  committed  to  the  disciples.  And 
this  arose  from  no  depreciation  of  the  ordinances, 
but  from  the  fact  that  higher  spiritual  qualifications 
had  been  imparted  to  him,  as  an  ambassador  of 
Christ,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry.  Any  of  the 
"  royal  priesthood  "  of  the  discipleship  could  baptize 
converts,  and  break  the  loaf  and  fill  the  cup  at  the 
Supper;  preaching  the  Gospel  was  a  higher  function. 
There  is  no  evidence  in  the  New  Testament  that 
any  Apostle  presided  at  the  "breaking  of  bread," 
and  scanty  evidence  that  they  baptized  converts — 
beyond  the  few  baptized  by  Paul.  They  may  have 
done  it,  but  if  so,  we  lack  the  evidence.  The 
beauty  and  impressiveness  of  these  sacred  symbols 
do  not  depend  on  the  administration — only  so  that 
they  be  decently  and  reverently  served — but  on  the 
inherent  sanctity  of  the  ordinances  themselves. 
Many  small  and  feeble  churches  go  without  the 
ordinances  for  months,  or  years,  because  no  or- 
dained minister  is  accessible  to  serve  them.  This 
is  all  wrong.  Let  them  select  some  deacon,  or 
private  member  to  serve  in  this  capacity,  as  they 
would  choose  one  to  lead  a  prayer-meeting.  The 
ordinances  were  committed  to  the  churches;  and 
Christ's  institutions  should  not  be  neglected.  The 
neglect  of  these  by  the  pastorless  churches  is  one 
cause  of  their  long-continued  weakness  and  decline. 

Tertullian  said: 

"  In  itself  considered,  the  laity  also  have  also  the  right  to 
administer  the   sacraments,  and  to  teach  in  the  community. 


376  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

The  Word  of  God  and  the  sacraments  were  communicated 
to  all,  and  may  therefore  be  communicated  by  all  Christians, 
as  instruments  of  Divine  grace."  "  If  we  look  at  the  order 
necessary  to  be  maintained  in  the  Church,  the  laity  are  to 
exercise  their  priestly  rights  of  administering  the  sacraments 
only  when  the  time  and  the  circumstances  require  it." — Bap- 
tism, chap.  17,     Cited  by  Neander,  Ch.  Hist,,  Vol.  I.,  p.  Tg6. 

MOSHEIM  says: 

"  At  first,  all  who  were  engaged  in  propagating  Chris- 
tianity, administered  this  ordinance  [baptism]  nor  can  it  be 
called  in  question  that  whoever  persuaded  any  person  to  em- 
brace Christianity,  could  baptize  his  own  disciple." — Eccl. 
Hist. ,  Cent.  I. ,  part  II. ,  chap.  4,  sec.  8. 

Dr.  Jacobs  says : 

"  There  are  positively  no  sacred  rites  or  acts  which  it  is  de- 
clared in  the  New  Testament  must  be  administered  by  men 
ordained  or  in  any  way  separated  from  the  general  body  of 
Christians.  The  two  sacraments  are  justly  considered  the 
most  solemn  of  Christian  ordinances.  But  even  of  them  such 
administration  is  nowhere  commanded." — Eccl.  Polity  of  the 
New  Testament,  p.  144. 

Dr.  Pressense  declares  : 

"That  the  words  of  St.  Paul  to  the  Corinthians  imply 
that  all  Christians  might  break  the  bread  and  bless  the  cup 
at  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  not  an  officiating  minister  only. 
For  he  says:  'The  bread  which  we  break,  and  the  cup  of 
blessing  which  we  bless.'  " — Vol.  II.,  p.  224. 

Pr.OF.  Curtis  says: 

*'  Originally  every  Church  member,  as  such,  was  an  evan- 
gelist wherever  he  could  be.     As  Neander  has  shown,  and  all 


ORDINATION.  377 

Church  history  proves,  the  distinction  between  the  clergy  and 
laity  was  much  less  marked  at  first.  In  regard  to  the  admin- 
istration of  baptism,  this  was  quite  as  much  the  case  as  in 
teaching.  It  belonged  to  the  original  priesthood  of  all,  at 
first,  or  was,  at  least,  committed  to  them,  except  as  limited  by 
the  Church." — Prog.  Bap.  Principles, pp.  2g8-gg. 

Dr.  Charles  Hodge,  while  he  believes  that  the 
common  and  orderly  way  of  serving  the  ordinances 
is  by  an  ordained  minister,  yet  says: 

"  If  baptism  be  a  washing  with  water,  in  the  name  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  to  signify  and  seal  the  ingrafting  into  Christ, 
does  it  cease  to  do  this,  if  not  administered  by  an  ordained 
minister  ?  Does  not  the  man  thus  baptized  make  a  profession 
of  his  faith?  "  "Can  it  therefore  be  any  more  invalid  than 
the  Gospel  preached  by  a  layman  ?  " — Systematic  Theology, 
Vol.  III.,  p.  523.     Ed.  1875. 

Dr.  Davidson  says: 

"Thus  when  a  Church  has  no  elders,  the  members  may 
legitimately  partake  of  the  Supper.  An  elder's  presence  is  not 
essential  to  the  validity  of  it.  It  is  desirable,  because  the  pre- 
sumption is,  that  such  an  one  is  better  qualified  to  lead  the 
devotions  of  the  brethren  than  an  individual  selected  from 
among  themselves. "  ' '  But  it  is  certainly  unnecessary  to  send 
for  the  elders  of  another  Church ;  for  such  an  one  bears  no  of- 
ficial relation  to  any  society  except  his  own."  "  When  a 
Church,  therefore,  is  without  an  elder  or  pastor,  let  them  by 
all  means  partake  of  the  Supper;  It  is  their  duty  and  privilege 
to  do  so.  To  neglect  it  is  culpable."  "  A  deacon  selected 
by  the  brethren  may  preside."  "  There  is  no  one  passage  in 
the  New  Testament  which  proves  that  it  is  the  exclusive  right 
of  the  elders  to  baptize.  And  yet  the  notion  is  tenaciously 
held.  Coming  as  it  does  from  the  Church  of  Rome,  and  re- 
ceived from  that  source  by  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church, 


3/8  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

it  has  taken  hold  of  other  denominations." — EccL  Polity  of 
the  N.  T., pp.  280,  283-86. 

Dr.  Lyman  Coleman  says: 

"  The  duty  of  administering  the  ordinance  [baptism]  does 
not  appear  to  have  been  restricted  to  any  office  in  the  Church. " 
"  Lay  baptism,  of  which  frequent  mention  is  made  in  the 
early  history  of  the  Church,  was  undoubtedly  treated  as  valid 
by  the  laws  and  usages  of  the  ancient  Church."  Of  the  Sup- 
per he  says:  "  Nothing  is  said  in  the  New  Testament  re- 
specting the  person  whose  prerogative  it  is  to  administer 
this  sacrament." — Ancient  Christ.  Exemp.,  pp.  jgo,  2-427, 

Dr.  Henry  M.  Dexter  says: 

"  The  supposed  need  in  the  case  of  evangelists  and  mis- 
sionaries grows  out  of  the  assumption  that  only  an  ordained 
person  has  the  right  to  administer  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
Supper.  But  that  assumption  is  a  legacy  of  Popery  which 
Congregationalism  will  do  well  to  decline;  since  the  Bible 
does  neither  affirm  nor  endorse  it.  Scripturally  one  of  the 
deacons,  or  any  brother  of  the  Church  whom  it  may  authorize 
for  the  purpose,  is  competent — in  the  absence  of  the  pastor — 
to  baptize,  or  preside  at  the  remembrance  of  Christ  at  the 
Lord's  Supper." — Congregationalism,  pp.  iJ^-^J. 

Dr.  Leonard  Bacon  says: 

"I  have  found  nothing  in  the  Bible,  and  nothing  in  what 
I  have  seen  of  the  earliest  Christian  writers,  which  implies 
that  it  was  the  peculiar  duty,  or  the  peculiar  honor  of  this  or 
that  officer,  to  administer  baptism." — Manual  of  Ch.  Polity ^ 

Dr.  Daniel  Curry,  than  whom  there  has  been  no 
abler  man  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  says: 

**The  sumpf  th^  whole  matter  is,  that  whosoever  is  called 


ORDINATION.  379 

of  God  is  thereby  invested  with  all  the  essential  characteristics 
and  prerogatives  of  a  Gospel  minister;  and  whether  inducted 
by  one  form  or  another,  or  without  any  form,  and  acknowl- 
edged by  no  fellow-minister,  he  has  an  indefeasible  right,  de 
jure  dtvino,  to  administer  the  sacraments  and  ordinances,  and 
feed  the  flock  of  Christ.  And  if  occasion  requires,  he  may 
recognize  other  ministers  by  solemn  forms,  and  appropriate 
ceremonies." — Editorial,  Christian  Advocate,  Nov.  ii,  iSy^. 

Andrew  Fuller  said: 

"  It  appears  to  me  that  every  approved  teacher  of  God's 
Word,  whether  ordained  the  pastor  of  a  particular  Church  or 
not,  is  authorized  to  baptize."  "  I  see  nothing  objectionable, 
if, when  a  Church  is  destitute  of  a  pastor,  it  [the  Supper]  was 
administered  by  a  deacon,  or  an  aged  brother.  I  know  of  no 
Scripture  authority  for  confining  it  to  ministers.  Nay,  I  do 
not  recall  any  mention  in  the  Scriptures  of  a  minister  being 
employed  in  it,  unless  we  reckon  our  Lord  one." — Works, 
Vol.  III.,  p.  494.  Phil.  Ed.,  1845. 

Dr.  Francis  Wayland  says  : 

"I  know  that  we  restrict  to  the  ministry  the  administra- 
tion of  the  ordinances;  and  to  this  rule  I  think  there  can  be 
no  objection.  But  we  all  know  that  for  this  restriction  we 
have  no  example  in  the  New  Testament." — Sermons  to  the 
Churches,  p.  33.     Ed.  1838. 

Dr.  Richard  Fuller,  while  he  approves  the 
present  usage,  yet  says  : 

"  Suppose,  however,  there  is  a  Church  that  has  no  ordained 
pastor;  I  grieve  to  say  that  there  is  so  much  popery  among 
us  that  some  churches  in  remote  places  go  without  the  Sup- 
per for  years  because  they  cannot  get  a  Baptist  priest  to  con- 
secrate the  elements. "     "As  to  the  abstract  question  whether 


38o  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

an  ordained  minister  is  necessary  for  the  ordinances,  I  an- 
swer, no.  Andrew  Fuller,  Robert  Hall,  and  all  our  eminent 
men  were  of  one  sentiment  here." — Autograph  letter  to  the 
author,  Sept.  12,  1876. 

Dr.  Howard  Malcom  says  : 

"  I  cannot  see  that  baptism  can  only  be  rightly  performed 
by  an  ordained  minister.  It  would  be  just  as  valid  if  done 
by  any  private  member.  The  qualification  belongs  only  to 
the  candidate.  Hence,  a  Church  without  a  pastor  may  desig- 
nate any  member  to  baptize,  or  break  bread  at  the  Lord's 
Supper." — Autograph  letter  to  the  author,  Sept.  y,  iSyd. 

Dr.  Galusha  Anderson  says  : 

"  There  is  not  a  scrap  of  evidence  in  the  New  Testament 
that  either  baptism  or  the  Lord's  Supper  was  administered 
by  the  elders,  or  bishops,  or  pastors  of  the  churches.  That 
they  did  administer  the  ordinances  I  think  quite  probable, 
but  there  is  no  record  of  it  in  the  Scriptures. "  * '  Churches  may 
not  only  authorize  unordained  persons  to  administer  the 
ordinances,  but  I  think  they  are  bound  so  to  do,  rather  than 
suffer  them  to  be  neglected.  The  idea  that  the  humblest 
band  of  believers  cannot  baptize  converts  to  Christ,  nor 
remember  their  Savior  by  breaking  bread,  is,  to  a  New  Tes- 
tament student,  absurd." — Autograph  letter  to  the  author ^ 
dated  Feb.  16,  jSyj. 

The  Baptist  Confession  of  Faith,  issued  in 
London,  1643,  by  seven  congregations,  as  a  vindi- 
cation against  the  aspersions  of  their  enemies,  says  : 

"The  person  designed  by  Christ  to  dispense  baptism,  the 
Scripture  holds  forth  to  be  a  disciple,  it  being  nowhere  tied 
to  a  particular  Church  officer,  or  person  extraordinarily  sent, 
the  commission  enjoining  the  administration  being  given  to 


Ordination.  381 

them  as  considered  disciples,  being  men  able  to  preach  the 
Gospel." — Article  41.  See  Meal's  Hist.  Puritans,  Ap.,  and 
Cutting's  Hist.   Vindications. 

More  need  not  be  said  on  this  point.  Ordination 
does  this  for  a  man — this,  and  nothing  more — it  ac- 
credits him  to  the  churches  and  the  public  by  the 
moral  force  which  the  approval  and  commendation 
of  the  men  engaged  in  the  ordination  service  carries 
with  it.  Their  certificate  is  a  testimonial  to  the 
Church  and  to  the  religious  community.  Nor  do  I 
think  much  of  the  claim  that  Councils  protect  the 
churches  against  unworthy  men,  who  otherwise 
would  force  themselves  into  the  ministry.  I  do  not 
see  but  Councils  are  about  as  easily  deceived  by  im- 
postors as  are  the  churches  themselves.  Probably 
all  the  clerical  cheats  and  rascals  who  deceive 
and  destroy  the  churches  have  successfully  passed 
the  examination  of  Councils,  received  their  com- 
mendation, had  hands  laid  upon  their  heads,  and 
gone  out  with  their  letters  of  credit  in  their  pockets. 
Presbyteries  are  a  bulwark  of  gossamer  against  the 
inroads  of  wolves  in  sheep's  clothing  intent  to  prey 
upon  the  flock.  Councils  usually  do  what  they  are 
asked  to  do.  Churches  should  themselves  be  more 
wary  and  cautious,  and,  perhaps,  would  be  if  they 
had  no  Council  upon  whom  to  throw  the  responsi- 
bility which  they  themselves  should  bear. 

IV.      IS  ORDINATION  TO   BE   REPEATED  > 
There  is  but  this  other  question  that  needs  here 


3^2  THE   NEW   DIRECTOkY. 

to  be  considered,  viz.,  Is  the  effect  of  ordination  per- 
manent or  transient  ? 

Does  it  confer  an  indelible  ministerial  character  ? 
Or,  does  it  need  to  be  repeated  ?  If  the  minister 
should  lapse  from  the  faith,  be  deposed,  or  leave  the 
sacred  for  a  secular  calling,  and  be  restored,  or  re- 
turn, would  ordination  need  to  be  repeated  ?  Or,  if 
he  pass  from  one  denomination  to  another,  is  he  to 
be  reordained  by  new  forms  ?  or  will  his  old  inves- 
titure be  deemed  sufficient  and  accepted  as  valid  ? 
The  former  aspects  of  the  question,  as  to  the  char- 
acter indelibilis,  have  occupied  a  large  place  in  the 
polemical  disputations  of  past  centuries.  In  these, 
however,  we  have  small  interest,  and  on  them  we 
need  not  dwell.  The  only  aspect  of  the  case  with 
which  we  have  much  concern  is  that  of  r^-ordina- 
tion  or  recognition. 

Should  a  minister,  who  comes  among  us  from 
another  denomination,  be  ordained^  or  simply  recog- 
nized? Do  we  accept  his  former  ordination,  if 
among  evangelical  Churches,  or  do  we  not  .'^  To 
this.  Baptist  sentiment  answers  Yes^  and  No.  Some 
do;  others  do  not.  And  it  is  perfectly  immaterial 
which  side  of  the  question  one  accepts  and  defends. 
Both  are  equally  orthodox,  and  whichever  the  can- 
didate, and  the  Church  of  which  he  is  to  be  pastor, 
should  prefer  would  be  safe  to  adopt.  Just  at  pres- 
ent the  tide  sets  rather  in  favor  of  reordination;  and 
perhaps  this,  on  the  whole,  is  the  wiser  course, 
since  each  Christian  communion  has  its  own  method 
?^f  induction  into  office.     Baptists   may  well   make 


ORDINATION.  383 

theirs  uniform  in  all  cases  of  men  set  apart  to  the 
ministry  among  them.  It  can  be  no  reflection  on 
the  sanctity  of  methods  in  other  churches  for  us  to 
pursue  our  own. 

The  difference  between  ordination  and  recognition 
lies  mainly  in  this,  that  in  the  former  there  is  an  ex- 
amination of  the  candidate,  and  the  imposition  of 
hands ;  in  the  latter  these  are  omitted.  But  if  a 
Council  be  called,  there  is  no  good  reason  why  they 
should  not  examine  the  candidate  sufficiently  to 
satisfy  them  of  his  fitness  for  the  ministry — and,  in- 
deed, for  the  Baptist  ministry.  And  the  imposition 
of  hands  would  be  quite  as  appropriate  in  this  as  in 
any  other  case,  and  would  be  sanctioned  by  the  set- 
ting apart  of  Barnabas  and  Saul  at  Antioch,  on 
whom  hands  were  laid  after  having  been  many  years 
in  the  ministry;  they  were  thus  sent  forth  to  a  new 
field  of  labor  with  fraternal  benedictions. 

Let  the  question,  therefore,  be  answered  as  fol- 
lows : 

I.  Reordination  is  not  necessary.  For  the  sub- 
stance of  the  first  ordination — if  it  were  to  an  evan- 
gelical ministry — was  to  recognize  a  divine  call  to, 
and  a  fitness  for,  that  ministry,  and  to  send  the  man 
forth  with  commendation  to  the  work.  His  "setting 
apart"  was  not,  presumably,  to  a  ministry  of  denomi- 
national specialties,  but  to  a  dispensation  of  the 
word  first;  the  other  followed,  of  consequence,  from 
his  position.  To  insist  that  ordination  is  essential, 
is  to  insist  that  he  was  not  set  apart  to  an  evangel- 
ical service.    Moreover,  to  demand  reordination  on 


384  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

the  ground  that  it  makes  him  an  accredited  and  law- 
ful minister  to  the  whole  denomination,  proceeds  on 
the  assumption  that  a  Council  called  by  one  Church 
can  give  a  minister  credit  with  all  other  churches, 
an  assumption  somewhat  too  lofty  for  the  character- 
istic modesty  of  Baptists.  That  assumption  has 
already  been  discussed. 

2.  Reordination,  or  recognition,  whichever  the 
Church  and  the  candidate  may  prefer,  is  equally 
effective,  and  a  matter  of  indifference.  The  purpose 
and  the  effect  of  both  are  the  same.  Some  public 
service  would  be  appropriate;  and  an  examination 
of  the  candidate,  on  points  which  distinguished  his 
former  ecclesiastical  relations  from  those  which  he 
has  now  assumed,  would  perhaps  be  needful.  Oth- 
erwise they  could  not  give  him  their  fellowship  and 
commendation  in  his  new  position. 

3.  To  insist  on  the  invalidity  of  all  except  denomi- 
national ordination  is  to  enter  the  list  for  a  defense 
of  sacramentarianism,  and  to  stand  challenged  be- 
fore the  Christian  world  for  the  proof  of  an  unbroken 
succession  of  sacred  orders.  This  would  be  as  im- 
possible to  prove,  as  it  would  be  useless  if  proven. 
We  cannot  accept  the  baptism  of  other  denomina- 
tions because  it  is  not  baptism,  but  sprinkling.  It  is 
defective  both  in  substance  and  in  form.  It  is  quite 
otherwise  with  ordination,  since  both  the  form  and 
the  substance  in  the  various  communions  are  virtu- 
ally the  same.  And  if  they  be  not,  there  is  no 
authoritative  Scriptural  standard  by  which  to  be 
guided,  as  in  the  case  of  baptism. 


ORDINATION.  385 

4.  Whether  ordination  be  supposed  to  represent 
the  verity  of  a  divine  call,  or  the  validity  of  ministerial 
acts,  in  either  case  recognition  and  ordination  stand 
on  the  same  ground.  The  one  is  as  effectual  in 
ascertaining  his  call,  and  declaring  his  authority,  as 
the  other,  if  what  has  heretofore  been  shown  is  to 
be  accepted,  since  ordination  is  not  to  empower,  but 
to  approve. 

5.  The  claim  that  the  action  of  a  Council  or  a 
Presbytery  can  accredit  a  minister  to  the  whole  de- 
nomination is  to  be  emphatically  denied.  With 
other  denominations,  which  consist  of  a  confedera- 
tion of  churches,  or  societies,  bound  together  in  one 
general  ecclesiastical  system,  represented  and  con- 
trolled by  a  central  legislative  body,  with  Church 
judicatories,  it  is  different.  They  put  men  into  the 
ministry  by  established  laws  and  usages,  which  are 
authoritative  to  all,  and  command  the  recognition 
of  all  the  churches.  No  central  body  is  empowered 
to  act  for  our  denomination  in  anything.  Common 
usage  is  to  be  respected,  but  is  not  authoritative. 

6.  In  the  absence  of  special  and  weighty  reasons 
in  favor  of  recognition  it  would,  perhaps,  on  the 
whole,  be  wise  and  prudent  to  reordain  ministers 
who  come  to  us  from  other  denominations,  and  thus, 
so  far  as  may  be,  unify  the  order  of  our  Churches. 
This  course  would  probably  harmonize  with  the  cur- 
rent drift  of  sentiment  on  this  subject,  while  no  valid 
objection  could  ordinarily  be  urged  against  it. 


26 


CHAPTER   XV. 

CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 

BAPTISMAL  PROPOSITIONS. 

The  subject  of  baptism  constitutes  one  of  the 
primary  and  fundamental  discussions  between  Bap- 
tists and  other  Christian  denominations,  and  has 
reference  to  the  form  and  uses  of  that  ordinance. 
The  following  propositions  set  forth  the  nature  and 
extent  of  the  controversy,  the  proof  of  which  prop- 
ositions will  amply  justify  the  Baptist  position  on 
that  subject. 

Prop.  I. — That  the  baptism  which  John  admin- 
istered, which  Jesus  received  and  enjoined,  and 
which  the  Apostles  practised,  was  an  immersion^  a 
dipping,  an  entire  submergence  of  the  person  bap- 
tized, in  water,  on  a  profession  of  repentance  and 
faith  in  Christ. 

Prop.  II. — That  this  same  baptism  of  immersion 
was  used  by  the  Apostles  and  disciples  of  our  Lord, 
and  by  the  primitive  churches,  without  any  known 
exception,  for  more  than  two  hundred  years  after 
Christ. 

.386 


CHRISTIAN    BAPTISM.  38^ 

Prop.  III. — That  the  first  recorded  departure  from 
the  practice  o{  immersion  in  baptism  was,  about  A.  D. 
250,  in  the  case  of  Novatian,  affused  on  his  sick- 
bed, being,  as  was  supposed,  incapable  of  baptism. 
No  earlier  instance  is  known  to  history. 

Prop.  IV. — That  from  this  Wm^  pouring,  or  sprink- 
ling, for  baptism,  was  occasionally  resorted  to  as 
substitutes,  in  cases  of  sick  persons,  called  clinics  ; 
hence  clinic  baptism  came  into  use  in  emergen- 
cies. 

Prop.  V. — That  for  more  than  thirteen  hundred 
years  immersion  was  the  prevailing  practice  of  Chris- 
tian churches  throughout  the  world  in  the  adminis- 
tration of  baptism. 

Prop.  VI. — That  the  Greek  and  other  Oriental 
churches  have  never  abandoned  the  primitive  mode, 
but  still  practise  dipping,  whether  in  the  case  of 
adults  or  of  infants,  in  all  climates,  and  at  all  sea- 
sons of  the  year. 

Prop.  VII. — That  the  substitution  oi  aspersion  for 
immersion  was  one  of  the  corruptions  of  the  Papal 
Church,  transmitted  to,  and  accepted  by,  the  Prot- 
estant Christians  in  later  times. 

Prop.  VIII. — That,  after  the  Reformation,  sprink- 
ling for  baptism  came  into  general  use  among  Prot- 
estant Christians  in  Europe,  by  whom  it  v/as  trans- 
mitted to  Protestant  churches  in  America. 

Prop.  IX. — That  the  leading  scholarship  of  the 
world  declares  that  the  meaning  of  the  Greek  word 
baptize  is  to  immerse,  and  that  immersion  was  the 
original  Scriptural   baptism;    while  sprinkling  and 


388  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

pouring  are  conceded  substitutes,  used  for  conven- 
ience only,  and  are  without  divine  authority. 

Prop.  X. — That  more  than  half  the  nominal 
Christians  in  the  world  still  practise  immersion  in 
baptism,  denying  the  validity  of  any  other  form, 
while  all  Christians,  the  world  over,  hold  such  bap- 
tism to  be  validy  primitive  and  Scriptural. 

If  these  propositions  be  proven,  it  ought  to  end 
the  controversy — certainly,  with  candid  and  un- 
biased minds.  But  the  force  of  education,  social  re- 
lations and  religious  predilections  are  often  more 
powerful  to  influence  conduct  than  the  combined 
energies  of  truth,  judgment,  and  conscience.  The  in- 
junction of  our  Lord  was  and  still  is:  *'  If  ye  love  me, 
keep  my  commandments."  Cotton  Mather's  words 
could  not  have  a  more  appropriate  or  emphatic  appli- 
cation than  to  such  a  case:  **  Let  a  precept  be  never 
so  difficult  to  obey,  or  never  so  distasteful  to  flesh 
and  blood,  yet  if  I  see  it  is  God's  command,  my  soul 
says,  it  is  good;  let  me  obey  it  till  I  die." 

Let  it  be  distinctly  understood,  however,  that  all  the 
eminent  and  learned  authorities  hereafter  cited  are 
Pedobaptists.  Baptist  witnesses  are  wholly  omit- 
ted, not  because  they  are  less  learned,  or  less  valu- 
able, but  because  we  prefer  to  allow  our  opponents 
in  this  controversy  to  bear  witness  for  us,  rather 
than  to  testify  in  our  own  behalf  Possibly,  also, 
the  testimony  of  their  own  scholars  may  have  more 
weight  with  our  Pedobaptist  brethren  than  would 
the  testimony  of  ours,  who  might  be  thought  inter- 
ested witnesses  in  such  a  case. 


CHRISTIAN    BAPTISM..  389 

WHAT   IS   CHRISTIAN   BAPTISM? 

This  is  the  greatest  question  that  enters  into  the 
baptismal  controversy,  and  the  one  in  which  Bap- 
tists take  sides  against  the  Pedobaptist  world,  both 
Papal  and  Protestant,  so  far,  at  least,  as  their  prac- 
tice is  concerned.  Other  questions  of  moment  arise 
in  connection  with  this  sacred  rite;  questions  as  to 
its  mode,  its  purpose,  and  its  efficacy.  They  have 
their  importance,  and  a  legitimate  sphere  of  discus- 
sion. What  shall  precede  baptism,  or  accompany 
it,  or  follow  it  ?  Whether  salt  or  oil  shall  be  used; 
whether  a  black  robe  or  a  white  robe,  or  no  robe  at 
all  shall  be  worn,  by  candidate  or  administrant; 
whether  the  candidate  shall  be  dipped  once,  twice, 
or  thrice,  forward  or  backward,  standing  or  kneel- 
ing— all  these,  and  many  others,  which  burdened 
mediaeval  polemics,  are  mere  accidents,  having  ref- 
erence to  mode^  in  which  we  have  no  special  interest. 
But  it  is  of  primary  importance  to  know  what  con- 
stitutes baptism  itself.  That  point,  once  settled, 
will  decide  the  form  of  its  administration.  To  say 
it  is  a  ceremony  in  which  water  is  the  element  used, 
and  by  which  persons  are  admitted  to  the  Christian 
Church,  does  not  answer  the  question.  What  is 
baptism  }  As  a  Gospel  ordinance,  the  New  Testa- 
ment must  define  it. 

Baptists  answer  the  question  by  saying  that  bap- 
tism is  the  immersion  or  dipping  of  a  candidate  in 
water,  on  a  profession  of  faith  in  Christ,  adminis- 
tered in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son  and  Spirit. 


390  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Pedobaptists  answer  the  question  by  saying  it  is 
either  the  sprinkling  or  pouring  of  water  upon  the 
person,  touching  the  forehead  with  a  wet  finger,  or 
the  dipping  of  the  candidate  into  water,  in  either 
case  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son  and  Spirit;  and 
that  it  may  be  administered  to  one  on  his  own  pro- 
fession of  faith,  or  to  an  unconscious  infant  on  the 
professed  faith  of  some  other  person.  This  would 
make  four  forms  of  the  ordinance,  administered  to 
two  classes  of  subjects. 

Baptists  hold  to  a  unity  in  the  ordinance,  as  in 
the  faith,  believing  that  as  there  is  but  one  Lord 
and  one  Faith,  so  there  is  but  one  Baptism,  and  not 
four.  And  the  one  baptism  is  the  immersion  in 
water,  in,  or  into  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son  and 
Spirit.  Neither  pouring  nor  sprinkling  water  upon, 
nor  any  other  application  of  water  to  a  person,  is 
baptism,  though  it  may  be  called  such  ever  so  often, 
and  ever  so  earnestly. 

MEANING   OF   BAPTIZO. 

The  word  '^baptize''  is,  properly  speaking,  a 
Greek  word  {baptize),  adapted  to  the  English  lan- 
guage by  a  change  in  its  termination.  This  is  the 
word  used  by  the  sacred  writers  to  express  and  de- 
fine the  ordinance.  What  does  this  word  mean  as 
originally  used  .?  For  it  is  certain  that  Divine  Wis- 
dom, in  commanding  an  ordinance  to  be  observed 
by  believers  of  all  classes,  in  all  lands,  and  through 
all  ages,  would  use  a  word  of  positive  and  definite 


CHRISTIAN   BAPTISM. 


391 


import,  and  one  whose  meaning  would  admit  of  no 
reasonable  doubt. 

What,  then,  does  '' baptizo''  mean?  Let  us  ask 
Greek  scholars — men  familiar  with  and  skilled  in 
the  use  of  Greek  words.  How  do  the  dictionaries 
define  it }  What  do  lexicographers  and  scholars 
say  .-* 

Scapula  says : 

"  To  dip,  to  immerse,  as  we  do  anything  for  the  purpose 
of  dyeing  it." 

SCHLEUSNER  says : 

"  Properly,  it  signifies  to  dip,  to  immerse,  to  immerse  in 
water. " 

SCHREVELIUS  says : 

"To  baptize,  to  merge,  to  bathe." 

ParKHURST  says : 

"To  dip,  immerse,  or  plunge  in  water." 

Greenfield  says : 

"To  immerse,  immerge,  submerge,  sink." 

Green  says : 

"  To  dip,  immerse,  to  cleanse  or  purify  by  washing." 

DONNEGAN  says : 

"  To  immerse  repeatedly  into  liquid,  to  submerge,  to  soak 
thoroughly,  to  saturate," 


392  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Stevens  says : 

"To   merge  or  immerse,   to  submerge,  or  bury  in  the 
water. " 

Alstidius  says : 

"  To  baptize  signifies  only  to  immerse,  not  to  wash,  except 
by  consequence." 

Passow  says : 

"  To  immerse  often  and  repeatedly,  to  submerge." 

SCHOTTGEN  says : 

"To  merge,  immerse,  to  wash,  to  bathe." 

Stockius  says : 

"  Properly,  it  means  to  dip,  or  immerse  in  water." 

Robinson  says : 

"  To  immerse,  to  sink. " 

LiDDELL  AND  ScOTT  say: 
"  To  dip  repeatedly." 

Sophocles  says : 

'*  Baptizo,  to  dip,  to  immerse,  to  sink." 

Anthon  says : 

"  The  primary  meaning  of  the  word  is  to  dip,  to  immerse." 

Cremer  says : 

"  Baptizo,  immersion,  submersion,  for  a  religious  purpose." 

Grimm's  Lexicon  of  the  New  Testament,  which 
in  Europe  and  America  stands  confessedly  at  the 


CHRISTIAN   BAPTISM. 


393 


head  of  Greek  lexicography,  as  translated  and 
edited  by  Prof.  Thayer  of  Harvard  University,  thus 
defines  baptizo: 

"(i.)  To  dip  repeatedly,  to  immerse,  submerge.  (2.)  To 
cleanse  by  dipping  or  submerging.  (3.)  To  overwhelm.  In 
the  New  Testament  it  is  used  particularly  of  the  rite  of  sa- 
cred ablution;  first  instituted  by  John  the  Baptist,  afterward 
by  Christ's  command  received  by  Christians  and  adjusted  to 
the  nature  and  contents  of  their  religion,  viz.,  an  tmmersion 
in  water  performed  as  a  sign  of  the  removal  of  sin,  and  ad- 
ministered to  those  who,  impelled  by  a  desire  for  salvation, 
sought  admission  to  the  benefits  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom. 
With  ezs  to  mark  the  element  into  which  the  immersion  is 
made;  en  with  the  dative  of  the  thing  in  which  one  is  im- 
mersed." 

The  noun  baptisma,  the  only  other  word  used  in 
the  New  Testament  to  denote  the  rite,  this  lexicon 
thus  defines :  "  A  word  peculiar  to  the  New  Testa- 
ment and  ecclesiastical  writers;  used  (i)  of  John's 
baptism;  (2)  of  Christian  baptism.  This,  according 
to  the  view  of  the  Apostles,  is  a  rite  of  sacred  im- 
mersion commanded  by  Christ." 

Moses  Stuart,  one  of  the  ablest  scholars  Amer- 
ica has  produced,  says : 

*'  Baptizo  means  to  dip,  plunge,  or  immerse  into  any  liq- 
uid. All  lexicographers  and  critics  of  any  note  are  agreed 
in  this." — Essay  on  Baptism, p.  j//  Bib.  Repos,,  iSjj,p.  2g8. 

ROSENMULLER  says  : 

"To  baptize  is  to  immerse  or  dip,  the  body,  or  part  of  the 
body  which  is  to  be  baptized,  going  under  the  water." — 
Scholia,  Matt.  3:6. 


394  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

Wetstein  says : 

"To  baptize  is  to  plunge,  to  dip.  The  body,  or  part  of 
the  body  being  under  water  is  said  to  be  baptized." — Com. 
on  Matt.  j:6. 

Leigh  says : 

"The  native  and  proper  signification  of  it  is,  to  dtp  into 
water,  or  to  plunge  under  water. " — Critica  Sacra. 

TURRETIN  says : 

"The  word  'baptism'  is  of  Greek  origin,  which  signifies 
to  baptize,  to  dip  into,  to  immerse." — Inst.  loc.  ig,  quest,  ii, 

Beza  says : 

"Christ  commanded  us  to  be  baptized,  by  which  word  it 
is  certain  immersion  is  signified." — Annot.  on  Matt.  7:4: 
Acts  ig  :j;  Matt,  j :  2. 

Calvin  says : 

"The  word  baptize  signifies  to  immerse;  and  the  rite  of 
immersion  was  observed  by  the  ancient  Church." — Institutes, 
B.  IV.,  ch.  I  J,  sec.  ig. 

WiTSIUS  says : 

"  It  cannot  be  denied  that  the  native  signification  of  the 
word  baptism,  is  to  plunge,  to  dip." — Econ.  Cove.,  B.  IV.,  ch. 
16,  sec.  I  J. 

Luther  says : 

"  The  term  baptism  is  a  Greek  word.  It  may  be  rendered 
a  dipping,  when  we  dip  something  in  water,  that  it  may  be 
entirely  covered  with  water." — Cited  by  Du  Veile  on  Act$ 
8:^8. 


CHRISTIAN   BAPTISM.  395 

VOSSIUS  says : 

"  To  baptize  signifies  to  plunge" — Discourses  on  Baptism, 
Dis.  I. 

Wilson  says : 

"To  baptize,  to  dip  one  into  water,  to  /blunge  one  into 
the  water." — Christ.  Diet.,  Art.  Baptism. 

Campbell  says : 

' '  The  word  baptizein,  both  in  sacred  authors  and  in  clas- 
sical, signifies  to  dip,  to  plunge,  to  immerse;  and  was  ren- 
dered by  Tertullian,  the  oldest  of  the  Latin  fathers,  tingere, 
the  term  used  for  dyeing  cloth,  which  was  by  immersion." 
'—Translation  Gospels.     Note  on  Matt,  j:  16. 

Very  many  other  competent  scholars  and  critics 
familiar  with  the  Greek  language,  might  be  cited  to 
the  same  effect.  Can  there  be  any  reasonable  ques- 
tion that  the  true,  indeed  the  only  proper,  meaning 
of  baptizo  is  to  dip,  plunge,  imnierse,  or  bury  in 
water  }  And  if  at  any  time  it  may  have  the  secon- 
dary meaning  of  wash,  cleanse,  saturate,  or  dye,  it 
is  in  consequence,  and  by  reason  of,  the  manner  in 
which  these  acts  are  performed  by  immersion.  As 
to  the  meaning  of  the  word  there  can  be  no  dispute. 
Both  classic  and  sacred  Greek  are  in  harmony  as  to 
that.  The  New  Testament  decides  its  meaning  as 
an  ecclesiastical  term  applied  to  a  Gospel  ordi- 
nance. 

SIGNIFICANT  USE   OF  THE  WORD. 

Our  Lord  in  commanding  baptism,  evidently  used 
such  words  as  conveyed  His  meaning  in  no  doubtful 


396  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

terms.  And  the  sacred  writers  in  transmitting  His 
command  to  posterity,  as  well  as  His  Apostles  in 
preaching  His  Gospel  to  the  nations,  chose  from  all 
the  words  of  the  Greek  language  that  one  which  ac- 
curately and  truthfully  conveyed  His  meaning  to 
those  who  should  believe  upon  His  name.  The  Greek 
language  is  rich  in  terms  to  express  all  positive 
ideas,  and  all  varying  shades  of  thought.  Why  was 
this  one  word,  and  no  other^  selected  to  describe  an 
ordinance  of  great  significancy,  intended  to  be  ob- 
served by  all  believers,  to  the  end  of  the  world  } 

Baptizo  is  found  eighty  times  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, and  is  a  derivative  from  bapto.  In  nearly  all 
it  is  used  to  designate  this  ordinance — and  no  other 
word  is  ever  used  for  that  purpose.  Baptisma,  a 
baptism,  an  immersion,  is  found  twenty-two  times, 
and  baptismos,  the  act  of  baptizing,  or  immersing, 
four  times,  both  formed  from  baptizo.  Dr.  Carson, 
Professor  Stuart,  and  others,  have  abundantly  proven 
that  this  word  means  to  dip,  plunge,  or  immerse; 
and  that,  primarily  and  properly,  it  means  nothing 
else.  Our  Saviour,  in  leaving  a  command  univer- 
sally binding  on  His  disciples,  meant  doubtless  to 
express  it  so  plainly  and  so  positively,  that  none 
could  misunderstand  Him.  Therefore,  this  particu- 
lar word  and  no  other  has  been  used,  because  it 
means  just  what  He  intended,  and  nothing  else. 

Bapto  is  found  three  times  in  the  New  Testament, 
and  also  means  to  dip,  but  is  never  used  to  describe 
baptism.  Why  not }  Because  it  has  other  mean- 
ings, as  well  as  that  of  dipping;  and  with  this  word 


CHRISTIAN   BAPTISM.  397 

the  nature  of  the  ordinance  might  be  nriisunder- 
stood. 

Louo  is  found  six  times,  and  means  to  wash;  to 
wash  the  whole  body;  to  bathe.  If  baptism  means 
to  wash,  as  some  hold,  here  was  just  the  word  to  ex- 
press it.  But  this  word  is  never  applied  to  the 
ordinance;  because  washing  is  not  baptism,  and 
baptism  is  not  washing. 

Nipto  is  found  seventeen  times,  and  means  also  to 
wash,  to  wash  the  extremities,  as  the  face,  hands, 
or  feet,  as  distinguished  from  bathing  the  entire 
body.  But  this  word  is  never  used  to  express  bap- 
tism. Why  not,  if  a  little  water  applied  to  the  face 
may  be  baptism,  as  some  teach  } 

Breko  is  found  seven  times,  and  means  to  wet,  to 
moisten,  to  rain  upon,  but  is  never  used  to  designate 
the  rite  of  baptism;  therefore  to  touch  or  moisten 
the  forehead  with  wet  fingers  is  not  baptism,  though 
frequently  declared  to  be  such. 

Rantizo  is  found /o7ir  times,  and  means  to  sprinkle. 
If  baptism  could  have  been  performed  by  sprinkling, 
as  is  at  present  so  widely  believed,  this  would  have 
been  the  word  above  all  others  to  describe  the 
ordinance.  But  this  word  is  in  no  case  so  used; 
simply  because  sprinkling  is  not  baptism. 

Keo  is  found  many  times  in  its  various  combina- 
tions, and  means  to  pour,  but  is  never  used  to  desig- 
nate baptism.  But  if  baptism  may  be  performed  by 
pouring  water  on  a  candidate,  why  was  not  this 
word  sometimes  used  to  indicate  the  act } 

Katharizo  is  found  thirty  times,  and    means  to 


398  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

purify,  but  is  never  used  to  signify  the  act  of  baptiz- 
ing. If  the  ordinance  means  to  purify,  as  some 
claim,  this  word  would  have  expressed  it  much  bet- 
ter than  the  one  used. 

We  again  ask,  why  did  the  sacred  writers,  from  all 
the  words  in  the  Greek  language,  select  only  and 
always  that  one  which  strictly  means  to  dip  or  hn- 
merse,  to  express  the  act  by  which  the  sacred  or- 
dinance which  Christ  had  commanded,  and  which 
His  disciples  administered,  should  be  performed  ? 
The  only  consistent  answer  is,  because  baptism 
means  immersion,  and  nothing  else — and  nothing 
but  immersion  is  baptism. 

THE   BAPTISM    OF   CHRIST. 

Of  the  baptism  of  Jesus  in  the  Jordan,  it  is  said: 
"And  Jesus,  when  He  was  baptized,  went  up 
straightway  out  of  the  water." — Matt.  3:  16.  Again 
it  is  recorded  that  Jesus,  '*  was  baptized  of  John  in 
the  Jordan;  and  straightway  coming  up  out  of  the 
water." — Mark  I:  9,  10. 

Does  not  the  very  fact  of  His  going  down  into  the 
water,  so  as  to  come  up  out  of  the  water,  show,  if 
not  positively,  yet  presumptively,  that  His  baptism 
was  an  immersion,  or  burial  in  the  water  }  For  to 
say  He  went  down  into  the  river  for  the  purpose  of 
having  a  small  quantity  of  water  poured,  or  a  few 
drops  sprinkled  on  Him,  is  quite  too  trifling  to  have 
weight  with  candid  minds. 

Bp.  Taylor  says: 

"  The  custom  of  the  ancient  churches  was  not  sprinkling. 


CHRISTIAN   BAPTISM.  399 

but  immersion:  in  pursuance  of  the  sense  of  the  word  in  the 
commandment,  and  the  example  of  our  blessed  Savior." — 
Com.  Matt,  j :  i6. 

Dr.  Campbell  says: 

"Jesus  being  baptized,  no  sooner  rose  out  of  the  water, 
than  heaven  was  open  to  Him." — Trans.  Gospels,  Matt,  j:  i6. 

MacKnight  says: 

"  Christ  submitted  to  be  baptized,  that  is,  to  be  buried  nn- 
der  water,  and  to  be  raised  out  of  it  again,  as  an  emblem  of 
His  future  death  and  resurrection." — Epist.  Rom.  6:  j,  4. 

LiGHTFOOT,  the  most  distinguished  and  influential 
member  of  the  Westminster  Assembly,  says: 

"  That  the  baptism  of  John  was  the  immersion  of  the  body, 
in  which  manner  both  the  ablutions  of  unclean  persons  and 
the  baptism  of  proselytes  was  performed,  seems  evident  from 
those  things  which  are  related  of  it;  namely,  that  he  bap- 
tized in  the  Jordan,  and  in  Enon,  because  there  was  much 
water;  and  that  Christ,  being  baptized,  went  up  out  of  the 
water." — On  Matt,  j:  6. 

Poole  says: 

"  A  great  part  of  those  who  went  out  to  hear  John  were 
baptized,  that  is,  dipped m  the  Jordan."— .«4««^/.  on  Matt.j:  6. 

Olshausen,  on  the  baptism  of  Jesus,  says: 

"  The  one  part  of  the  action — the  submersion — represents 
the  negative  aspect,  the  taking  away  of  the  old  man;  the 
other — the  emersion — denotes  its  positive  aspect,  the  appear- 
ance of  the  new  man." — Com.  Rom,  6:j,  4, 

Dean  Stanley  says: 

"  The  mode  of  John's  baptism  has  been,  and  still  i>  much 


400  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

discussed,  but  the  practice  of  the  Eastern  Church,  and  the 
very  meaning  of  the  word  \baptiz6\  leave  no  sufficient  ground 
for  questioning  that  the  original  form  of  baptism  was  com- 
plete immersion  in  the  deep  baptismal  waters." — Hist.  East- 
ern Church,  p.  J4. 

Geikie  says  of  John's  converts: 

"  He  led  them  in  groups  to  the  Jordan,  and  ifnmersed 
each  singly  in  the  waters,  after  earnest  and  full  confession 
of  their  sins." — Life  and  Words  of  Christ,   Vol.  /.,  p.  40^. 

Dr.  DolLINGER  says: 

"The  Baptists  are,  however,  from  the  Protestant  point  of 
view,  unassailable,  since,  for  their  demand  of  baptism  by  sub- 
mersion, they  have  the  clear  text  of  the  Bible;  and  the 
authority  of  the  Church  and  of  her  testimony  is  not  re- 
garded by  either  party." — Kirche  und  Kirchen,  jjy. 

Prof.  Harnack  says: 

"  Baptize  in  undoubtedly  signifies  i?mnersion.  No  proof 
can  be  found  that  it  signifies  any  thing  else  in  the  New 
Testament,  and  in  the  most  ancient  Christian  literature. 
The  suggestion  regarding  a  'sacred  sense,'  is  out  of  the 
question." — In  Indepe7tdent ,  Fed.  ig,  188^. 

MUCH   WATER   FOR   BAPTISM. 

"  Then  Cometh  Jesus  from  Galilee  to  Jordan,  unto 
John,  to  be  baptized  of  him." — Matt.  3:  13.  "And 
John  also  vi^as  baptizing  in  Enon,  near  to  Salim,  be- 
cause there  was  much  water  there." — John  3:  23. 

Thoughtful  persons  will  ask  why  should  they  have 
resorted  to  places  expresssly  because  these  fur- 
nished large  supplies  of  water,  if  baptism  was  per- 


CHRISTIAN   BAPTISM.  4OI 

formed  by  sprinkling  ?  A  very  small  quantity 
would  have  answered  the  purpose  in  that  case.  Let 
Pedobaptist  scholars  themselves  answer  the  ques- 
tion as  follows : 

Calvin,  whom  Scaliger  pronunced  the  most 
learned  man  in  Europe,  says: 

"  From  these  words  of  John  (ch.  3  :  23)  it  may  be  inferred 
that  baptism  was  administered,  by  John  and  Christ,  \iY plung- 
ing the  whole  body  under  the  water." — Comment.  John 3 :  2j. 

Bengel  says: 

"  Many  waters;  so  the  rite  of  immersion  required." — Com- 
ment on  John  j :  2j. 

Poole  says: 

"  It  is  apparent  that  both  Christ  and  John  baptized  by 
dipping  the  body  in  the  water,  else  they  need  not  have 
sought  places  where  had  been  a  great  plenty  of  water." — An- 
not.  John  j  :  2j. 

CURCELL^US  says: 

' '  Baptism  was  performed  by  plungitig  the  whole  body  into 
water,  and  not  by  sprinkling  a  few  drops,  as  is  now  the  prac- 
tice. For  John  was  baptizing  in  Enon,  near  to  Salim,  be- 
cause there  was  much  water  there." — Relig.  Ch.  Inst.,  cited^ 
Booth,  Ped.  Ex.  ch.  4,p.^o. 

Whitby  says: 

"  Because  there  was  much  water  there,  in  which  their 
whole  bodies  might  be  dipped." — Crit.  Com.  John  j :  2j. 

Adam  Clark  says: 

**  As  the  Jewish  custom  required  the  persons  10  stand  in 


402  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

the  water,  and  having  been  instructed,  and  entered  into  a 
covenant  to  renounce  all  idolatry,  and  take  the  God  of  Israel 
for  their  God,  then  plunged  themselves  under  the  water,  it 
is  probable  that  the  rite  was  thus  performed." — Com.  on  John 

Geikie  says: 

"  John  had  to  leave  the  Jordan  as  too  shallow  at  its  acces- 
sible parts  for  baptism,  and  go  to  another  place — Enon  near 
Salim — an  unknown  locality,  where  pools  more  suitable  were 
yet  to  be  had." — Lt'f^  and  Words  of  Christ,  p.  410, 

PHILIP   AND   THE   EUNUCH. 

Why  should  Philip  and  the  eunuch,  or  either  of 
them,  have  gone  down  into  the  water,  if  a  mere 
sprinkling  or  pouring  of  water,  and  not  immersion 
in  water,  was  to  be  used  }  **  And  they  went  down 
both  into  the  water,  both  Philip  and  the  eunuch, 
and  he  baptized  him.  And  when  they  were  come 
up  out  of  the  water,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  caught 
away  Philip."— Acts  8:  38,  39. 

Calvin  says: 

"  Here  we  perceive  how  baptism  was  administered  among 
the  ancients;  for  they  immersed  tho.  whole  body  in  water." — 
On  baptism,  ch.  j,  p.  jd. 

Dr.  Towerson  says: 

"  For  what  need  would  there  have  been  of  Philip  and  the 
eunuch  going  into  this  [the  water],  were  it  not  that  the  bap- 
tism was  to  be  performed  hy  immersion." — Com.  Acts  8 :  j8. 

Grotius,  whom  his  biographer  declared  one  of 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM.  4O3 

the  most  illustrious  names  in  literature,  politics  and 
theology,  says: 

"  But  that  this  customary  rite  was  performed  by  im- 
mersion, and  not  by  pouring,  is  indicated  both  by  the  proper 
signification  of  the  word,  and  the  places  chosen  for  the  rite." 
— Annot.  Matt,  j  :  6. 

Venema  says: 

"It  is  without  controversy,  that  baptism  in  the  primitive 
Church  was  administered  by  immersion  into  water,  and  not 
by  sprinkling,  seeing  that  John  is  said  to  have  baptized  in 
Jordan,  and  where  there  was  much  water,  as  Christ  also  did 
by  His  disciples  in  the  neighborhood  of  those  places.  Philip, 
also,  going  down  into  the  water,  baptized  the  eunuch." — 
Eccl,  Hist.,  ch.  J,  sec.  ijS.     See  Booth,  Fed.  Ex.,  ch.  4,  sec.  y6. 

THE    TESTIMONY   OF   EXPOSITORS. 

The  great  question  with  every  candid  mind  should 
be,  *'  What  is  truth  }  What  is  right  >  "  But  as  the 
Scriptures  are  our  only  and  sufficient  standard  in 
matters  of  religious  faith  and  practice,  we  ask,  what 
do  the  Scriptures  teach  }  In  order  to  ascertain  this 
point,  we  inquire  of  those  pious  men,  eminent  for 
learning  and  a  devout  study  of  the  Bible,  who  have 
prepared  able  commentaries  on  the  sacred  text,  as 
to  what  they  understand  to  be  the  nature  of  bap- 
tism, and  the  form  of  its  original  administration. 
What  do  expositors  say  } 

Zanchius,  whose  opinion,  De  Courcy  declares, 
*'is  worth  a  thousand  others,"  says: 

"  The  proper  signification  of  baptize  is  to  immerse^  plunge 


404  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

under,  to  overwhelm   in  -walcr/'^Wor^s,  Vol.  F/.,/.  -?//. 
Geneva,  i6ig. 

WiTSIUS  says: 

"  It  cannot  be  denied  that  the  native  signification  of  the 
word  daptem,  Q.nd  daptzzem,  \s  to  plunge  or  dip." — Econ. 
Covenants,  p.  12 ij. 

Bp.  Taylor  says: 

"  The  custom  of  the  ancient  churches  was  not  sprinkling, 
but  immersion." — Duct.  Dubit,  B.  III.,  ch.  4,  R.  /j. 

Luther,  the  great  German  reformer,  says: 

"The  term  baptism  is  Greek;  in  Latin  it  may  be  trans- 
lated immersio;  since  we  immerse  anything  into  water,  that 
the  whole  may  be  covered  with  the  water." — Works,  Vol.  /., 
p.  74.  Wit.  Ed.,  1382. 

Melancthon  says: 

"  Baptism  is  immersion  into  water,  which  is  ma(;Je  with 
this  admirable   benediction." — Melanct.  Catec,  Wit.,  1380. 

Cave,  in  his  able  work  on  Christian  Antiquities, 
says: 

"The  party  to  be  baptized  was  wholly  immersed,  or  put 
under  water." — Prim.   Chris.,  P.  I.,  ch.  10,  p.  J20. 

Bp.  Sherlock  says : 

"Baptism,  or  an  itnmersion  into  water,  according  to  the 
ancient  rite  of  administering  it,  is  a  figure  of  our  burial  with 
Christ,  and  of  our  conformity  to  His  death." — See  Bloom. 
Crit.Dig.,  Vol.  v.,  p.  537, 

Beza  says : 

"  Christ  commanded  us  to  be  baptized;  by  which  word  it 


CHRISTIAN   BAPTISM.  405 

is  certain  immersion  is  signified." — Epis.  ad.   Thorn.  Tillium, 
Annot.  on  Mark  7  .•  ^. 

Poole  says : 

"  He  seems  here  to  allude  to  the  manner  of  baptizing  in 
those  warm  Eastern  countries,  which  was  to  dip  or  plunge 
the  party  baptized,  and,  as  it  were,  to  bury  him  for  a  while 
under  water." — Annot.  on  Romans  6:4. 

Mede  says : 

"  There  was  no  such  thing  as  sprinkling  used  in  the  Apos- 
tles' days,  nor  for  many  ages  after  them." — Discourse  on  Titus 
3:5- 

VlTRlNGA  says : 

"  The  act  of  baptizing  is  the  immersion  of  believers  in  water. 
This  expresses  the  force  of  the  word." — Aphorism  884. 

Grotius  says : 

"  That  baptism  used  to  be  performed  by  immersion,  and 
not  pouring,  appears  by  the  proper  signification  of  the  word, 
and  by  the  places  chosen  for  the  administration  of  this  rite." 
— A nnot.  Matt.  3:6;  John  j : 2j. 

Bp.  Bossuet  says: 

"To  baptize  signifies  to  plunge,  as  is  granted  by  all  the 
world." — Stennett  against  Russen,  p.  174. 

DiODATi  says : 

"  Baptized — that  is  to  say,  ducked  in  the  water,  for  a  sa- 
cred sign  and  seal  of  the  expiation  and  remission  of  sins." — 
Annot.  on  Matt.  3:  6. 

Calvin  says : 

"The  word  baptize  signifies  to  immerse ;  and  it  is  certain 


406  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

that  immersion  was  the  practice  of  the  ancient  Church." — 
Institutes,  B.  IV.,  ch.  /j,  sec.  ip. 

Samuel  Clarke  says : 

"  In  the  primitive  times  the  manner  of  baptizing  was  by 
immersion,  or  dipping  the  whole  body  into  water." — Exp, 
Ch.  Catec,  p.  294.     Ed.  6. 

Storr  and  Flatt  say : 

"The  disciples  of  our  Lord  could  understand  His  com- 
mand in  no  other  way  than  as  enjoining  immersion,  for  the 
baptism  of  John,  to  which  Jesus  Himself  submitted,  and  also 
the  earlier  baptism  of  the  disciples  of  Jesus,  were  performed 
by  dipping  the  subject  into  cold  water." — Bib.  Theol.,  B.  IV., 
sec.  log,  par.  4. 

Adam  Clark  says : 

"Alluding  to  the  immersions  practiced  in  the  case  of 
adults,  wherein  the  person  appeared  to  be  buried  under  the 
water,  as  Christ  was  buried  in  the  heart  of  the  earth. " — Com- 
ment on  Col.  2 :  J2. 

Bloomfield  says : 

"  There  is  here  plainly  a  reference  to  the  ancient  mode  of 
baptism  by  immersion." — Greek  New  Test.  Exp.  Rom.  6:4. 

SCHOLZ  says : 

"  Baptism  consists  in  the  immersion  of  the  whole  body  in 
water." — Comment  on  Matt,  j :  6. 

SCHAFF  says : 

'*  Immersion,  and  not  sprinkling,  was  unquestionably  the 
original  form.  This  is  shown  by  the  very  meaning  of  the 
words  baptizo,  baptisma  and  baptismos,  used  to  designate  the 


CHRISTIAN   BAPTISM. 


407 


rite."— //"/>/.  Apos.    Ch.,  p.  488.     Merc,  ed.,  18^1.     See  also 
Noel  on  Bap.,  ch.  j,  sec.  8. 

Prof.  Browne  says : 

"  The  language  of  the  New  Testament  and  of  the  primi- 
tive Fathers  sufficiently  point  to  immersion  as  the  common 
mode  of  baptism." — Smith's  Bid.  Diet.,  Art.  Bap.  Sup. 

Dr.  Jacobs  says : 

"It  only  remains  to  be  observed  that  baptism,  in  the 
primitive  Church,  was  evidently  administered  by  immersion 
of  the  body  in  water — a  mode  which  added  to  the  signifi- 
cancy  of  the  rite,  and  gave  a  peculiar  force  to  some  of  the 
allusions  to  \\."—Eccl.  Polity  of  the  N.  T.,  p.  2j8. 

Neander  says  : 

"The  usual  form  of  submersion  at  baptism,  practiced  by 
the  Jews,  was  passed  over  to  the  Gentile  Christians.  Indeed, 
this  form  was  the  most  suitable  to  signify  that  which  Christ 
intended  to  render  an  object  of  contemplation  by  such  a 
symbol:  the  itnmersion  of  the  whole  man  in  the  spirit  of  a 
new  life." — Planting  and  Training,  p.  161. 

To  the  same  effect  might  be  adduced  many  others 
from  among  the  most  able  and  distinguished  of  bib- 
lical scholars  and  commentators  connected  with  the 
Pedobaptist  communions. 

APOSTOLIC   ALLUSIONS. 

The  idea  which  Paul  had  of  both  the  form  and 
purpose  of  baptism  is  very  manifest  from  the  man- 
ner in  which  he  refers  to  it  in  his  Epistles.  To  the 
Romans  he  says:  ''Therefore  we  are  buried  with 
Him  by  baptism  into  death." — Rom.  6:4.     To  the 


408  THE    NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Colossians,   using    nearly   the    same    language,   he 
says:  ''  Bur  zed  vj'ith  Him  in  baptism." — Col.  2  :  12. 

His  conception  must  have  been  that  of  a  burying, 
a  covering  of  the  subject  entirely  in  the  water,  by 
a  sinking  into  it.  No  other  form  could  have  been 
true  to  the  figure  here  used.  And  this  fact  has  been 
generally  acknowledged. 

Abp.  Tillotson,  on  these  passages,  says : 

"  Anciently  those  who  were  baptized  were  immersed,  and 
buried  in  the  water,  to  represent  their  death  to  sin ;  and  then 
did  rise  up  out  of  the  water  to  signify  their  entrance  upon  a 
new  life.  And  to  these  customs  the  Apostle  alludes. " —  Works, 
Vol.  I. ,  p.  179. 

Benson  says : 

"  Buried  with  Him  by  baptism — alluding  to  the  ancient 
manner  of  baptizing  by  immersion" — Comment  on  Rom» 
4:4. 

DiODATi  says : 

"In  baptism  being  dipped  in  water  according  to  the 
ancient  ceremony;  it  is  a  sacred  sign  unto  us,  that  sin  ought 
to  be  drowned  in  us  by  God's  Spirit." — Annot.  Rom,  4:4. 

TURRETIN  says : 

"And  indeed  baptism  was  performed  in  that  age,  and  in 
those  countries,  by  immersion  of  the  whole  body  into  water. " 
' — Comment  on  Rom,  6:j,  4. 

ZwiNGLE  says  : 

"When  ye  were  immersed  into  the  water  by  baptism,  ye 
were  ingrafted  into  the  death  of  Christ,"— Annot,  Rom, 
4:4.     See  Conant's  Append,  to  Matt, 


CHRISTIAN   BAPTISM.  409 

Whitby  says : 

"It  being  so  expressly  declared  that  we  are  buried  ^ith. 
Christ  in  baptism,  by  being  buried  under  water." — Comment 
on  Rom.  4:4. 

John  Wesley  says : 

"  Buried  with  Him — alluding  to  the  ancient  manner  of 
baptizing  by  immersion." — Note  on  Romans  4: 4, 

CONYBEARE  says  : 

"This  passage  cannot  be  understood,  unless  it  be  borne 
in  miiid  that  the  primitive  baptism  was  by  immersion." — Life 
and Epist.  St.  Paul,  Rom.  4:4. 

Bloomfield  says : 

"  Here  is  a  plain  allusion  to  the  ancient  custom  of  baptiz- 
ing by  immersion  ;  and  I  agree  with  Koppe  and  Rosenmiiller, 
that  there  is  reason  to  regret  it  should  ever  have  been  aban- 
doned in  most  Christian  churches,  especially  as  it  has  so  evi- 
dent a  reference  to  the  mystic  sense  of  baptism." — Recens. 
Synop.  on  Rom.  4:  4. 

Samuel  Clarke  says : 

"  In  the  primitive  times,  the  manner  of  baptizing  was  by 
immersion,  or  dipping  the  whole  body  into  water.  And  this 
manner  of  doing  it  was  a  very  significant  emblem  of  the  dy- 
ing and  rising  again,  referred  to  by  St.  Paul,  in  the  above- 
mentioned  similitude." — Expos.  Church  Cate.,  294,  ed.  6. 

Olshausen  says : 

"Particularly  Paul  (Rom.  6:4)  treats  of  baptism  in  the 
twofold  reference  of  that  ordinance  to  immersion  and  emer- 
sion, as  symbolizing  the  death  and  resurrection  of  Christ." — 
Comment  Matt.  18:  J-15. 


4IO  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

Fritzsche  says  : 

"  But  that,  in  accordance  with  the  nature  of  the  word, 
baptism  was  then  performed  not  by  sprinkling  upon,  but  by 
submerging,  is  proved  especially  by  Rom.  4:4." — Com.  on 
Matt.,   Vol.  I.,  p.  120.    See  Conanf  s  Append,  to  Matt.,  p.  loj. 

ESTIUS  says : 

"For  immersion  represents  to  us  Christ's  burial,  and  so 
also  His  death;  since  none  but  the  dead  are  buried.  More- 
over, the  emersion  which  follows  the  im7nersion  has  a  resem- 
blance to  the  resurrection." — Com.  on  Rom.  6:j.  Cited  by 
Conant,  Append,  to  Matt.,  p.  100, 

Maldonatus  says  : 

"  For  in  Greek  to  be  baptized  is  the  same  as  to  be  sub- 
merged."— Com.  on  Matt.  20:22;  Luke  12 :  ^o. 

Whitefield  says : 

"It  is  certain  that  in  the  words  of  our  text  (Rom.  6  :  3,  4) 
there  is  an  allusion  to  the  manner  of  baptism,  which  was  by 
immersion." — Eighteen  Sermons,  p.  2g'/. 

Adam  Clark  says : 

"  It  is  probable  that  the  Apostle  here  alludes  to  the  mode 
of  administering  baptism  by  immersion,  the  whole  body  being 
put  under  water." — Comment  on  Rom.  6:4. 

Bishop  Fell  says: 

"  The  primitive  fashion  of  immersion  under  the  water,  rep- 
resenting our  death,  and  elevation  again  out  of  it,  our  resur- 
rection or  regeneration." — Note  on  Rom.  6:  4. 

Dr.  Doddridge  says: 

"  It  seems  the  part  of  candor  to  confess,  that  here  (Rom. 


CHRISTIAN   BAPTISM.  41I 

6  :  4)  is  an  allusion  to  the  manner  of  baptizing  by  immersion, 
as  most  usual  in  those  early  times. " — Fam.  Expos,  on  Rom. 
6:4. 

Assembly  of  Divines  say: 

"  In  this  phrase  (Col.  2:12)  the  Apostle  seemeth  to  allude 
to  the  ancient  manner  of  baptism,  which  was  to  dip  the  par- 
ties baptized,  and,  as  it  were,  to  bury  them  under  the  water 
for  a  while,  and  then  to  draw  them  out  of  it,  and  lift  them 
up,  to  represent  the  burial  of  our  old  man,  and  our  resurrec- 
tion to  newness  of  life." — Annot.  on  Matt.j:  6;  Rom.  6:4. 

Such  opinions,  expressed  by  these  learned  and 
pious  men,  do  not  surprise  us.  It  is  difficult  to  see 
how  they  could  have  expressed  any  others. 

HISTORICAL   EVIDENCE. 

Many  learned  men  have  studied  with  care  the 
early  records  of  Christianity;  have  written  histories 
of  the  doctrines  and  ceremonies  of  the  churches  dur- 
ing the  times  immediately  succeeding  the  apostolic 
age.  What  do  they  say  of  the  practice  as  to  bap- 
tism in  the  first  centuries  of  Christian  history  } 

Barnabas,  the  companion  of  St.  Paul,  in  an  epis- 
tle ascribed  to  him,  and  which  must  have  been  writ- 
ten very  early,  whoever  was  the  real  author,  speaks 
of  baptism  as  a  "  going  down  into  the  water."  He 
says: 

•*  We  go  down  into  the  water  full  of  sin  and  filth,  but  we 
come  up  bearing  fruits  in  our  hands." — Cath.  Epist.,  sec.  g., 
cited  by  Br  ought  on,  Hist.  Diet.,  Art.  Baptism. 

Hermas,  writing  about  A.  D.  95,  in  the  •*  Shep- 


412  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

herd,"  a  work  ascribed  to  him,  speaks  of  the  Apos- 
tles as  having  gone  "  down  into  the  water  with 
those  they  baptized,"  and  *'  come  up  again." — Sten- 
nett  against  Russen,  p.  i^-J. 

Justin  Martyr,  writing  about  A.  d.  140,  speaks 
of  those  baptized  as  **  washed  in  the  water,  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  Son  and  Spirit." — Apology,  sees. 
79,  ^5,  ^^'  Reeve  s  Trans,;  Orchard's  Hist.  Bapt.y 
sees.  I,  2,  J,  4.. 

Tertullian,  about  A.  D.  204,  says  the  person  to 
be  baptized  **is  let  down  into  the  water,  and,  with 
a  few  words  said,  is  dipped'' — De  Bapt.,  ch.  2. 

HiPPOLYTUS,  about  A.  D.  225,  says: 

"  For  he  who  goes  down  with  faith  into  the  bath  of  regen- 
eration, is  arrayed  against  the  evil  one,  and  on  the  side  of 
Christ.  He  comes  up  from  the  baptism  bright  as  the  sun, 
flashing  forth  the  rays  of  righteousness." — Dis.  on  the  The- 
oph.,  10,     See  Conant's  Append,  to  Matt, 

Gregory,  a.  d.  360,  says: 

"  We  are  buried  ^\\h.  Christ  by  baptism,  that  we  may  also 
rise  with  him." — Stennett's  Reply,  p.  144. 

Basil,  a.  d.  360,  says: 

"  By  three  immersions  the  great  mystery  of  baptism  is  ac- 
complished ;"  referring  to  trine  baptism. — Baronius  Annals, 
v.;  Bingham's  Antiq.,  B.  XI.,  ch.  Ii. 

Ambrose,  a.  d.  374,  says: 

"Thou  saidst,  I  do  believe,  and  wast  immersed  in  water: 


CHRISTIAN   BAPTISM.  4I3 

that  is,  thou  wast  buried." — Bing.  Ant,,  B.  II.,  ck.  2.    Sten^ 
nett's  Reply  to  Russen,  p.  144. 

Cyril,  a.  d.  374,  says: 

"  Candidates  are  first  anointed  with  consecrated  oils;  they 
are  then  conducted  to  the  laver,  and  asked  three  times  if 
they  believe  in  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost;  then  they 
are  dipped  three  times  into  the  water,  and  retire  by  three 
distinct  efforts." — Dupins  Eccl.  Ht:t.,  ck.  6.,  sec,  2;  Orchard's 
Hist.  Bap.,  p.  4J.  Nash,  ed.,  18^5. 

Chrysostom,  a.  d.  398,  says: 

"To  be  baptized  2,^^  plu7iged\n  the  water,  and  then  emerge 
and  rise  again,  is  a  symbol  of  our  descent  into  the  grave,  and 
our  ascent  out  of  it." — Horn.  40,  on  i  Cor.,  p.  186;  Bin^, 
Christ.  Antiq.,  B.  XI.,  ch.  11.  See  also  on  all  the  Fathers,  Co- 
nant's  Append,  to  Matt. 

Salmasius  says: 

"  Baptism  is  immersion,  and  was  formerly  celebrated  ac- 
cording to  the  force  and  meaning  of  the  name.  Now  it  is 
on\y  rant  ism,  or  sprinkling,  not  immersion  nor  dipping." — 
Wolf.   Crit.  Matt.  28:19;    De  Caes.    Viro.,  p.  66g 

Bingham  says: 

"  The  ancients  thought  that  immersion,  or  burying  under 
water,  did  more  lively  represent  the  death,  burial,  and  resur- 
rection of  Christ,  as  well  as  our  own  death  to  sin,  and  rising 
again  into  righteousness." — Christ.  Antiq.,  B.  XI.,  ch.  11. 

MOSHEIM  says: 

"In  this  century  [the  first]  baptism  was  administered  in 
convenient  places,  without  the  public  assemblies,  and  by  im- 
mersing  the  candidate  wholly  in  water." — Eccl.  Hist.,  B.  /., 
Cent.  I.,  part  II.,  ch.  4. 


4!4  I'HE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Neander  says: 

"In  respect  to  the  form  of  baptism,  it  was,  in  conformity 
with  the  original  institution,  and  the  original  import  of  the 
symbol,  performed  by  immersion,  as  a  sign  of  entire  baptism 
into  the  Holy  Spirit,  of  being  entirely  penetrated  by  the 
same." — Ch.  Hist.  Vol.  /.,  p.  jio.  Also  Hist.  Plant,  and 
Train.,   Vol.  /.,  p.  222. 

Waddington  says: 

"  The  sacraments  of  the  primitive  Church  were  two:  that 
of  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper.  The  ceremony  of  im- 
mersion, the  oldest  form  of  baptism,  was  performed  in  the 
name  of  the  three  persons  of  the  Trinity." — Church  Hist., 
ch.  2.,  sec.  J. 

SCHAFF  says: 

"  Finally,  so  far  as  it  respects  the  mode  and  manner  of 
outward  baptizing,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  immersion,  and 
not  sprinkling,  was  the  original  normal  form." — Hist.  Christ. 
Ch.,p.  488,  Mercer,  ed. 

FOR  THIRTEEN  CENTURIES 

Not  only  was  immersion  the  original  normal  form 
of  baptism,  as  received  by  Christ,  administered  by 
His  Apostles,  and  practiced  by  the  earliest  Chris- 
tians, but  it  was  that  form  which  was  retained  in  use 
by  all  Christian  churches,  with  few  exceptions,  for 
many  centuries.  Indeed,  with  a  large  portion  of  the 
so-called  Christian  world,  it  retains  its  position  to 
this  day. 

Dr.  Whitby  says: 

"And  this   immersion  being  religiously  observed  ly  all 


CHRISTIAN   BAPTISM.  41$ 

Christians    for    thirteen    centuries,    and    approved    by     our 
Church  " — referring  to  the  Church  of  England. — Annotations 

on  Rom,  6 :  4. 

Dr.  StackhOUSE  says: 

"  Several  authors  have  shown  and  proved  that  this  man- 
ner of  immersion  continued,  as  much  as  possible,  to  be  used 
for  thirteen  hundred  years  after  Christ." — History  of  the  Bible, 
B.   VIII.,  ch.  I. 

Bishop  Bossuet  says: 

"  We  are  able  to  make  it  appear,  by  the  acts  of  Councils, 
and  by  ancient  rituals,  that  for  thirteen  hundred  years  bsiptism 
was  thus  administered  [by  immersion]  throughout  the  whole 
Church,  as  far  as  possible."  —  Stennett ad.  Russen,  p.  176; 
Booth's  Pedo.  Ex.,  ch.  4. 

Dr.  Brenner  says: 

"  Thirteen  hundred  years  was  baptism  generally  and  or- 
derly performed  by  the  immersion  of  the  person  under  water, 
and  only  in  extraordinary  cases  was  sprinkling,  or  affusion, 
permitted.  These  later  methods  of  baptism  were  called  in 
question,  and  even  prohibited." — Hist.  Exhibit.  Bapt.,p.jo6. 

Von  CoLLN  says: 

"  Immersion  in  water  was  general  until  the  thirteenth  cen- 
tury among  the  Latins;  it  was  then  displaced  by  sprinkling, 
but  retained  by  the  Greeks." — Hist.  Doct.,  Vol.  II.,p.joj. 

Hagenbach  says: 

"  From  the  thirteenth  century  sprinkling  came  into  more 
general  use  in  the  West.  The  Greek  Church,  however,  and 
the  Church  of  Milano  still  retained  the  practice  of  immer- 
sion."—Hist.  Doct.,  Vol.  II.,  p.  84,  note  J. 


4l6  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Winer  says: 

"  Affusion  was  first  applied  to  the  sick,  but  was  gradually 
introduced  for  others  after  the  seventh  century,  and  in  the 
thirteenth  became  the  prevailing  practice  in  the  West." — 
Lects,  Christ.  Antiquity, 

AUGUSTI  says  : 

**  Immersion  in  water  was  general  until  the  thirteenth  cen- 
tury, among  the  Latins  ;  it  was  then  displaced  by  sprinkling, 
but  retained  by  the  Greeks." — Archce.^  Vol.  V.,p,^;  Vol. 
VII.,p.22g. 

Bingham  says : 

"  As  this  {dipping]  was  the  original  apostolical  practice,  so 
it  continued  the  universal  practice  of  the  Church  for  many 
ages." — Antiq.  Christ.  Church,  B.  XI.,  ch.  ii. 

Van  Oosterzee  says  : 

"This  sprinkling,  which  seems  to  have  first  come  gener- 
ally into  use  in  the  thirteenth  century,  in  place  of  the  entire 
immersion  of  the  body,  in  imitation  of  the  previous  baptism 
of  the  sick,  has  certainly  this  imperfection,  that  the  symbol- 
ical character  of  the  act  is  expressed  by  it  much  less  con- 
spicuously than  by  complete  immersion  and  burial  under 
water." — Christian  Dogmatics,  p.  'J4g.    N.   Y.  ed. 

Coleman  says : 

"  The  practice  of  immersion  continued  even  until  the  thir- 
teenth ox  fourteenth  century.  Indeed,  it  has  never  been  form- 
ally abandoned." — A7icient  Christianity ,  ch.  ip,  sec.  12. 

Encyclopedia  Ecclesiastica  says  : 

"Whatever  weight,  however,  may  be  in  those  reasons,  as 
%  defense  for  the  present  practice  of  sprinkling,  it  is  evident 


CHRISTIAN   BAPTISM.  41  7 

that  during  the  first  ages  of  the  Church,  and  for  many  r^«- 
/«r/.?j afterwards,  the  practice  of  immersion  prevailed." — Ency. 
EccL,  Art.  Baptism. 

While  these  testimonials  do  not  exhaust  historical 
evidence  on  this  point,  they  are  sufficient  to  satisfy 
unbiased  minds  as  to  the  primitive  and  long-con- 
tinued use  of  immersion  for  baptism,  in  the  Chris- 
tian world. 

These  Pedobaptist  scholars  concede  that  for  thir- 
teen hundred  years  immersion  was  the  prevailing 
form  of  baptism,  departed  from  only  in  special  and 
extraordinary  cases.  And  that  even  when  aban- 
doned by  the  Latin,  or  Romish  Church,  it  was  re- 
tained by  the  Greek,  and  other  Oriental  churches, 
which  do  to  this  day  preserve  the  original  form  of 
that  sacred  rite. 

USAGE  OF  THE  GREEK  CHURCH. 

While  it  may  not  be  an  unanswerable  argument 
in  favor  of  the  position  taken  by  Baptists,  that  the 
Greek  Church  has  always  practised,  and  does  still 
practise  immersion,  yet  the  fact  is  too  significant  to 
be  overlooked.  It  constitutes  collateral  evidence  of 
no  mean  character. 

The  Greek  Church  extends  over  Greece,  Russia, 
Egypt,  Arabia,  Palestine,  Abyssinia,  and  other  Ori- 
ental countries.  Like  the  Romish  Church,  it  has 
corrupted  the  primitive  purity  of  Gospel  doctrine 
and  practice  with  many  absurd  glosses  and  super- 
stitious rites.    But  as  to  the  form  of  baptism,  it  holds 

the  primitive  custom  of  dippmg  the  candidates. 
27 


41 8  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

Stourdza,  the  Russian  scholar  and  diplomat, 
says  : 

"  The  Church  of  the  West  [Rome]  has,  then,  departed  from 
the  example  of  Jesus  Christ ;  she  has  obliterated  the  whole 
sublimity  of  the  exterior  sign.  Baptism  and  immersion  are 
identical.  Baptism  by  aspersion  is  as  if  one  should  say,  im~ 
mersion  by  aspersion;  or  any  other  absurdity  of  the  same  na- 
ture."— Consid.  Orthodox  Ch.,  p.  87;  Conant's  Append.,  p.  pp. 

Deylingius  says  : 

"  The  Greeks  retain  the  rite  of  immersion  to  this  day  ;  as 
Jeremiah,  the  patriarch  of  Constantinople,  declares." — De 
Prud.  Past.,  P.  III.,  ch.  3.,  sec,  26. 

BUDDEUS  says  : 

"That  the  Greeks  defend  immersion  is  manifest,  and  has 
been  frequently  observed  by  learned  men  ;  which  Ludolphus 
informs  us  is  the  practice  of  the  Ethiopians." — Theol.  Dog- 
mat.,  B.   v.,  ch.  J.,  sec.  j. 

RiCAUT  says  : 

"  Thrice  dipping,  or  plunging,  this  Church  holds  to  be  as 
necessary  to  the  form  of  baptism,  as  water  is  to  the  matter." 
— State  of  Greek  Church,  p.  i6j. 

Dr.  Wall,  whose  learned  and  laborious  re- 
searches into  the  history  of  baptism  left  little  for 
others  to  discover,  says  : 

'•The  Greek  Church  in  all  its  branches  does  still  use  itn- 
mersion,  and  so  do  all  other  Christians  in  the  world,  except 
the  Latins.  All  those  nations  that  do  now,  or  formerly  did 
submit  to  the  authority  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  do  ordinarily 
baptize  their  infants  by  pouring  or  sprinkling.  But  all  other 
Christians  in  the  world,  who  never  owned  the  Pope's  usurped 


CHRISTIAN   BAPTISM.  419 

power,  do,  and  ever  did,  dip  their  infants  in  the  ordinary 
use.  All  the  Christians  in  Asia,  all  in  Africa,  and  about  one- 
third  in  Europe,  are  of  the  last  sort." — Hist.  Inf.  Bap.,  Vol. 
n.,  p.J76>  ed.  3. 

Dr.  Whitby  says  : 

"The  observation  of  the  Greek  Church  is  this,  that  he 
who  ascended  out  of  the  water  must  first  descend  into  it ; 
baptism,  therefore,  is  to  be  performed,  not  by  sprinkling,  but 
by  washing  the  body,  and,  indeed,  it  can  be  only  from  igno- 
rance of  the  Jewish  rites  that  this  can  be  questioned." — Crit- 
ical Com.  on  Matt,  j :  16, 

Dr.  King  says  : 

"The  Greek  Church  uniformly  practices  the  trine  immer- 
sion, undoubtedly  the  most  primitive  manner." — Rites  and 
Cerem.  Greek  Church,  p.  ig2. 

Coleman  says  : 

"The  Eastern  Church  has  uniformly  retained  the  form  of 
immersion  as  indispensable  to  the  validity  of  the  ordinance  ; 
and  repeat  the  rite  whenever  they  have  received  to  their  com- 
munion persons  who  have  been  baptized  in  another  manner." 
— Ancient  Christ.  Exemp.,  ch.  ig.,  sec.  12. 

BrOUGHTON  says  : 

"The  Greek  Church  differs  from  the  Romish,  as  to  the 
rite  of  baptism,  chiefly  in  performing  it  by  immersion,  or 
plunging  the  infant  all  over  in  the  'WdXQr."—Hist.  Diet.,  Art, 
Bap.     Also  Ricaufs  Greek  Church. 

The  Pantalogia  says : 

The  Greek  Church  is  "that  part  of  the  Christian  Church 
which  was  first  established  in  Greece,  and  is  now  spread  over 
a  larger  extent  of  country  than  any  other  established  Church. 


420  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

Amid  all  their  trifling  rites,  they  practice  trine  immersion, 
which  is  unquestionably  the  original  manner." — Article  Greek 
Church. 

The  Encyclopaedia  Britanntca  says  : 

"The  Greek  Church  differs  from  the  Romish,  as  to  the 
rite  of  baptism,  chiefly  in  performing  it  by  immersion,  or 
plunging  the  infant  all  over  in  the  water. " — Article  Baptism. 

The  Greek  Church,  like  the  Latin,  has  departed 
from  scriptural  usage  in  baptizing  unconscious  in- 
fants, and  in  many  other  matters  ;  but  has  retained 
the  true  form  of  baptism.  The  Romish  Church 
claims  the  right  to  change  and  abolish  ordinances. 
For  that  reason,  and  on  that  ground  alone,  they 
have  abolished  immersion,  and  use  aspersion  in  its 
stead.  And  this  aspersion  the  Protestant  Pedobap- 
tist  churches  have  accepted,  with  other  ecclesias- 
tical perversions,  from  that  corrupt  source.  Why 
will  they  not  go  back  to  primitive  purity,  and  scrip- 
ture teaching  }  Would  they  but  discard  rantism, 
and  adopt  baptism  according  to  the  command  of 
Christ  and  the  practice  of  the  Apostles,  it  would  do 
more  to  secure  Christian  unity  among  Protestants 
than  all  other  proposed  schemes  combined. 

THE   TESTIMONY    OF   BAPTISTERIES. 

It  will  cast  some  further  light  on  this  subject  to 
know  what  places  were  resorted  to  for  a  convenient 
administration  of  this  ordinance  during  the  early 
ages  of  Christianity.  They  never  would  have  fre- 
quented   rivers,    pools,    cisterns,    and   other   large 


CHRISTIAN   BAPTISM.  421 

bodies  of  water,  for  the  mere  purpose  of  sprinkling 
the  candidates. 

We  know  that  John  the  Baptist  and  the  disciples 
of  Jesus  resorted  to  the  Jordan  for  the  purpose  of 
baptizing,  and  to  Enon,  near  to  Salim,  *'  because  therQ 
was  much  water  there." 

Tertullian  says  : 

"There  is  no  difference  whether  one  is  baptized  in  the 
sea  or  in  a  lake,  in  a  river  or  in  a  fountain;  neither  was  there 
any  difference  between  those  whom  John  baptized  in  Jordan, 
and  those  whom  Peter  baptized  in  the  Tiber. — De  Bapt.,  ch. 
4:  Bing.  Anttq.,  B.   VIII.,  ch.  8,  sec.  i. 

Dr.  Doddridge  says  : 

"  John  was  also  at  the  same  time  baptizing  at  Enon;  and 
he  particularly  chose  that  place  because  there  was  a  great 
quantity  of  water  there,  which  made  it  very  convenient  for 
his  purpose." — Fam.  Expositor  on  Matt,  j:  16, 

As  Christianity  spread  and  converts  multiplied, 
in  many  places,  especially  in  large  cities,  there  were 
few  opportunities  for  the  convenient  and  agreeable 
administration  of  the  ordinance.  Other  cities  were 
not  so  well  supplied  with  pools  as  was  Jerusalem. 
Then  began  to  be  erected  baptisteries,  expressly 
designed  for  this  use.  These,  at  first,  were  con- 
structed in  the  simplest  manner;  but,  in  process  of 
time,  large,  costly  and  imposing  edifices  were  built 
for  this  purpose. 

MOSHEIM  says  : 

"  For  the  more  convenient  administration  of  baptism. 


422  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

sacred  fonts,  or  baptisieria,  were  erected  in  the  porches  of  the 
temples.  This  was  in  the  fourth  century." — Eccl.  Hist.  Cent. 
4,  B.  II.,  p.  II.,  ch.  4,  sec.  7. 

BrOUGHTON  says  : 

"  The  place  of  baptism  was  at  first  unlimited,  being  some 
pond  or  lake,  some  spring  or  river,  but  always  as  near  as  pos- 
sible to  the  place  of  public  worship.  Afterward  they  had 
their  baptisteries,  or  (as  we  call  them)  fonts,  built  at  first  near 
the  church,  then  in  the  church  porch,  and,  at  last,  in  the 
church  itself."  "  The  baptistery  was,  properly  speaking,  the 
whole  house  or  building  in  which  the  font  stood,  which  lat- 
ter was  only  the  fountain  or  pool  of  water  in  which  the  itn- 
mersion  was  performed." — Hist.  Diet.,  Arts.  Baptism  and 
Baptistery. 

Dr.  Murdock  says  : 

"The  baptisteries  were,  properly,  buildings  adjacent  to 
the  churches,  in  which  the  catechumens  were  instructed,  and 
where  were  a  sort  of  cistern,  into  which  water  was  let  at  the 
time  of  baptism,  and  in  which  the  candidates  were  baptized 
hy  immersion." — Mosk.  Eccl.  Hist.,  Vol.  I,  p.  281,  note  /j. 

Dr.  Schaff  says  : 

"In  the  fourth  century  special  buildings  for  this  holy 
ordinance  (baptism)  began  to  appear,  either  entirely  separate, 
or  connected  with  the  main  church  by  a  covered  passage. 
The  need  of  them  arose  partly  from  the  still  prevalent  cus- 
tom of  immersion." — Hist.  Chr.  Ch.,  Vol.  II.,  p.  ^38-g,  sec, 
M08. 

Cave  says : 

"  These  baptisteries  were  usually  very  large  and  capacious, 
not  only  that  they  might  comport  with  the  general  custom  of 
those  times — of  persons  baptized  being  immersed  or  put  under 


CHRISTIAN   BAPTISM.  423 

water;  but  because  the  stated  times  of  baptism  returning  so 
seldom,  great  multitudes  were  usually  baptized  at  the  same 
time." — Prim.  Christ.,  P.  /.,  ch.  10,  p.  ji2. 

Bingham  says  : 

"  In  the  apostolic  age,  and  some  time  after,  before  churches 
and  baptisteries  were  generally  erected,  they  baptized  in  any 
place  where  they  had  convenience,  as  John  baptized  in  Jor- 
dan, Philip  baptized  the  eunuch  in  the  wilderness,  and  Paul, 
the  jailor,  in  his  own  house." — Christ.  Antiq.,  B.  XI.,  ch.  6, 
sec.  II. 

Hagenbach  says  : 

"  That  baptism  in  the  beginning  was  administered  in  the 
open  air,  in  rivers  and  pools,  and  that  it  was  by  immersion 
we  know  from  the  narratives  of  the  New  Testament.  In  later 
times  there  were  prepared  great  baptismal  fonts  or  chapels. 
The  person  to  be  baptized  descended  several  steps  into  the 
reservoir  of  water,  and  then  the  whole  body  was  immersed 
under  the  water." — Hist.  Christ.  Church,  ch.  ig,  p.  J24. 

Coleman  says  : 

"The  first  baptistery,  or  place  appropriated  to  baptism, 
of  which  any  mention  is  made,  occurs  in  a  biography  in  the 
fourth  century,  and  this  was  prepared  in  a  private  house." — 
Ancie?it  Christ.  Exemplified,  ch.  ig,  sec  10. 

The  term  **  baptistery"  was  applied  properly  to 
the  pool  or  font  of  water,  but  was  also  used  to 
designate  the  building  in  which  the  pool  was  placed. 

Brande  says : 

"  A  building  destined  for  the  purpose  of  administering  the 
rite  of  baptism.  The  baptistery  was  entirely  distinct  from 
the  church  up  to  the  end  of  the  sixth  century;  after  which 
period  the  interior  of  the  church  received  it." — Diet.  Arts , 
Sci.,  and  Lit.,  Art.  Baptistery. 


424  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY, 

The  Encyclopedia  Britannica  says  : 

"  In  the  ancient  Church  it  was  one  of  the  exedra,  or  build- 
ings distinct  from  the  church  itself.  Thus  it  continued  till 
the  sixth  century,  when  the  baptisteries  began  to  be  taken 
into  the  church  porch,  and  afterward  into  the  church  itself." 
— Article  Baptistery. 

Some  of  these  structures  are  still  preserved,  and 
others  are  well  known  to  have  existed — as  that  of 
Florence,  Venice,  Pisa,  Naples,  Bologna,  and  Raven- 
na. That  of  the  Lateran,  at  Rome,  is  considered  the 
oldest  now  existing,  having  been  erected  A.D.  324. 

That  at  Pisa  was  completed  A.D.  1160,  the  entire 
structure  being  one  hundred  and  fifteen  feet  in  di- 
ameter, by  one  hundred  and  seventy-two  feet  in 
height,  and  of  a  circular  form.  That  at  Florence  is 
an  octagonal  building,  ninety  feet  in  diameter,  with 
a  lofty  dome.  That  of  St.  Sophia,  at  Constantino- 
ple, erected  by  Constantine,  A.D.  337,  was  capable 
of  accommodating  a  numerous  Council,  whose  ses- 
sions were  held  in  it.  Most  of  these  structures  are 
large,  elaborate,  and  costly  edifices. 

The  baptistery  proper,  or  pool  for  baptizing,  was 
an  open  cistern  in  the  center  of  the  large  hall,  or 
main  part  of  the  building. 

Can  any  one  suppose  these  buildings  would  have 
been  provided  if  sprinkling  and  not  immersion  had 
been  the  manner  of  administering  baptism  .-^"^ 

*  For  a  full  account  of  Baptisteries,  see  Robinson's  History 
of  Baptism,  ch.  12,  where,  with  much  labor,  the  author  has  col- 
lected a  large  amount  of  information  on  the  subject.  Also  Dun- 
can's Hist.  Baptists,  ch.  5,  sec.  3.  Also  Crystal's  History  of 
the  Mode  of  Baptism. 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM.  425 

THE   DESIGN   OF   BAPTISM. 

What  was  baptism  intended  to  represent  and 
teach  ?  As  an  outward  rite,  it  must  be  a  type,  or 
sign,  of  some  religious  truth,  or  spiritual  fact,  meant 
to  be  taught  or  enforced  by  its  observance.  And 
the  form  of  the  rite,  the  manner  of  its  administra- 
tion, must  be  such  as  properly  to  express  its  design 
and  meaning.  If  the  form  be  so  changed  that  its 
symbolic  force  is  lost,  and  its  design  no  longer  seen 
in  its  administration,  then,  manifestly,  it  is  no  longer 
baptism  in  form  or  fact;  its  teaching  is  not  under- 
stood, and  its  chief  purpose  fails. 

Now,  it  is  not  difficult  to  ascertain  from  the  New 
Testament  what  was  intended  by  baptism.  It  was 
clearly  this  :  to  show  forth  the  death,  burial,  and 
resurrection  of  Christ,  who  died  for  our  sins,  and 
rose  again  for  our  justification.  And  every  candi- 
date who  receives  the  ordinance  professes  thereby 
faith  in  the  merits  of  Christ's  death  as  the  ground 
of  his  own  hope  and  salvation,  fellowship  also  with 
His  sufferings,  and  a  declaration  of  his  own  death  to 
sin,  and  a  rising  to  newness  of  life  in  Christ.  It  also 
typifies  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  the  renew- 
ing of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  declares  the  candidate's 
hope  of  a  resurrection  from  the  dead,  even  as  Christ, 
into  the  likeness  of  whose  death  he  is  buried,  was 
raised  up  by  the  glory  of  the  Father. 

That  immersion  alone  can  teach  this  is  evident; 
which  view  the  following  testimonies  abundantly 
confirm: 


426  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

Tyndale  says: 

"  The  plunging  into  the  water  signifieth  that  we  die  and 
are  buried  with  Christ,  as  concerning  the  old  life  of  sin.  And 
the  pulling  out  again  signifieth  that  we  rise  again  with  Christ 
in  a  new  life  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost." — Obedience  of  a  Christ. 
Man,  14J,  cited  by  Conant,  Append. ,  /.  gj. 

Adam  Clark  says: 

"  But  as  they  received  baptism  as  an  emblem  of  death,  in 
voluntarily  going  under  the  water,  so  they  receive  it  as  an 
emblem  of  the  resurrection  unto  eternal  life,  in  coming  up 
out  of  the  water." — Bap.  for  the  dead.  Com.  on  i  Cor.  7j.-  2g. 

Bp.  Newton  says: 

"  Baptism  was  usually  performed  by  immersion,  or  dipping 
the  whole  body  under  water,  to  represent  the  death,  burial, 
and  resurrection  of  Christ  together,  and  therewith  signify 
the  person's  own  dying  to  sin,  the  destruction  of  its  power, 
and  his  resurrection  to  a  new  life." — Prac.  Expos.  Cate- 
chism, p.  2gy. 

Frankius  says: 

"The  baptism  of  Christ  represented  His  sufferings,  and 
His  coming  up  out  of  the  water  His  resurrection  from  the 
dead." — Programme,  14,  p.  J4J. 

PiCTETUS  says: 

"That  immersion  into  and  emersion  out  of  the  water, 
practiced  by  the  ancients,  signify  the  death  of  the  old  man, 
and  the  resurrection  of  the  new  man." — Theol.  Christ.,  B. 
XIV.,  ch.  4,  sec.  I  J. 

BUDDEUS  says: 

"  Immersion,  which  was  used  in  former  times,  was  a  sym- 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM.  427 

bol  and  an  image  of  the  death  and  the  burial  of  Christ."— 
Dogmatic  TheoL,  B.   V.,  ch,  i,  sec.  8. 

Saurin  says: 

"The  ceremony  of  wholly  immersing  us  in  water,  when 
we  were  baptized,  signified  that  we  died  to  sin." — Sermons, 
Vol.  III.,  p.  lyi.     Robinsons  Trans. 

Grotius  says: 

"  There  was  in  baptism,  as  administered  in  former  times, 
an  image  both  of  a  burial  and  a  resurrection,  which  in  re- 
gard to  Christ  was  external,  in  regard  to  Christians  internal." 
— Annot.  Rom.  4:  4.     Col.  2:  12. 

Olshausen  says: 

"  As  believers  are  in  Christ's  death  dead  with  Him,  and  in 
baptism  buried  with  Him,  so  they  are  now  also  risen  with 
Him  in  His  resurrection." — Comment  on  Col.  2: 12. 

Macknight  says: 

"He  submitted  to  be  baptized,  that  is,  to  be  buried  un- 
der the  water  by  John,  and  to  be  raised  up  out  of  it  again, 
as  an  emblem  of  His  future  death  and  resurrection." — Com- 
ment on  Rom.  6:  4. 

Baxter  says: 

"In  our  baptism  we  are  dipped  under  the  water,  as  signi- 
fying our  covenant  profession,  that  as  He  was  buried  for  sin, 
we  are  dead  and  buried  to  sin. " — Para.  Rom.  6 : 4.  Col.  2 :  12. 

Abp.  Leighton  says: 

"  Buried  with  Christ  ....  where  the  dipping  into  water 
IS  referred  to  as  representing  our  dying  with  Christ,  and  the 


428  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

return  thence,  as  expressive  of  our  rising  with  Him." — Com.  2 
Pet.  J :  21. 

Dr.  Barrow  says : 

"  The  action  is  baptizing,  or  immersing  into  water."  "  The 
mersion  also  in  water,  and  emersion  thence,  doth  figure  our 
death  to  the  former,  and  our  reviving  to  a  new  life." — Doct. 
Sacra.   Works,   Vol.  III.,  p.  43. 

Dr.  Cave  says: 

"  As  in  immersion  there  are,  in  a  manner,  three  several 
acts — the  putting  the  person  into  water,  his  abiding  there  for 
a  little  time,  and  his  rising  up  again — so  by  these  were  repre- 
sented Christ's  death,  burial,  and  resurrection;  and  in  con- 
formity thereunto  our  dying  unto  sin,  the  destruction  of  its 
power,  and  our  resurrection  to  a  new  course  of  life." — Prim. 
Christ.,  p.  I.,  ch.  10,  p.  J20. 

Dr.  Hammond  says : 

"  It  is  a  thing  that  every  Christian  knows,  that  the  im- 
mersion in  baptism  refers  to  the  death  of  Christ.  The  put- 
ting the  person  into  the  water  denotes  and  proclaims  the 
death  and  burial  of  Christ." — Comment,  on  Rom.  6:j. 

Dr.  Wall  says: 

"  The  immersion  of  the  person,  whether  infant  or  adult, 
in  the  posture  of  one  that  is  buried  and  raised  up  again,  is 
much  more  solemn,  and  expresses  the  design  of  the  sacra- 
ment and  the  mystery  of  the  spiritual  washing  much  better 
than  pouring  a  small  quantity  on  the  face." — Hist.  Inf.  Bap., 
pp.  404-408. 

Dr.  Schaff  says: 

"All  commentators  of  note  (except  Stuart  and  Hodge)  ex- 
pressly admit,  or  take  it  for  granted,  that  in  this  verse  the 


CHRISTIAN  baptism;  429 

ancient  prevailing  mode  of  baptism  by  immersion  and  emer- 
sion is  implied,  as  giving  additional  force  to  the  idea  of  the 
going  down  of  the  old  and  the  rising  up  of  the  new  man." — 
Note  in  Lange  on  Rom.  6 :  4. 

Bp.  Bloomfield  says: 

"  There  may  also  be  (as  the  ancient  commentators  think) 
an  allusion  to  the  ancient  mode  of  baptism  by  immersion; 
which,  while  typifying  a  death  unto  sin,  and  a  new  birth  unto 
righteousness,  also,  had  reference  to  the  Christian's  com- 
munion with  his  Lord,  both  in  death  and  resurrection  from 
the  dead." — Greek  N.  Test,  on  i  Cor.  13:  2g.  Bap.  for  the 
dead. 

Dr.  Towerson  says: 

"  Therefore,  as  there  is  so  much  the  more  reason  to  repre- 
sent the  rite  of  immersion,  as  the  only  legitimate  rite  of  bap- 
tism, because  the  07ily  one  that  can  answer  the  end  of  its  in- 
stitution, and  those  things  which  were  to  be  signified  by  it; 
so,  especially,  if,  as  is  well  known,  and  undoubtedly  of  great 
force,  the  general  practice  of  the  Primitive  Church  was  agree- 
able thereto,  and  the  practice  of  the  Greek  Church  to  this 
very  day.  For  who  can  think  that  either  one  or  the  other 
would  have  been  so  tenacious  of  so  troublesome  a  rite,  were 
it  not  that  they  were  well  assured,  as  they  of  the  Primitive 
Church  might  well  be,  of  its  being  the  only  instituted  and 
legitimate  one  ?  " — On  Sacra.  Bapt.,  Part  III.,  pp.  31-3S. 

Canon  Liddon,  on  the  likeness  to  Christ's  resur- 
rection, said: 

"  Of  this,  the  Apostle  traced  the  token  in  the  ceremony, 
at  that  time  universal,  of  baptism  by  immersion.  The  bap- 
tismal waters  were  the  grave  of  the  old  nature,  while  through 
those  waters  Christ  bestowed  the  gift  of  the  new  nature.  As 
Jesus,  crucified  and  dead,  was  laid  in  the  grave,  so  the  Chris- 


430  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

tian,  crucified  to  the  world  through  the  body  of  Christ,  de- 
scends, as  into  the  tomb,  into  the  baptismal  waters.  He  was 
buried  beneath  them;  they  closed  for  a  moment  over  him; 
he  was  '  planted,'  not  only  in  the  likeness  of  Christ's  death, 
but  of  His  burial.  But  the  immersion  is  over;  the  Christian 
is  lifted  from  the  flood,  and  this  is  evidently  as  correspondent 
to  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  as  the  descent  had  been  to  His 
burial.  Buried  with  Him  in  baptism,  wherein  also  ye  are 
risen  with  Him." — Easier  Sermon  in  St  Paul's,  June,  i88g. 

Such  are  the  opinions  of  candid  Pedobaptist 
divines,  as  to  the  design  of  baptism.  Immersion 
alone  can  meet  this  demand,  and  serve  its  purpose. 
Sprinkling,  or  pouring  water  on  a  candidate,  has  no 
force  in  the  direction  of  this  sacred  symbolism.  It 
cannot  shovi^  the  death,  burial,  or  the  resurrection  of 
Christ;  nor  the  disciple's  death  to  sin,  and  his  ris- 
ing to  a  new  life.  If  immersion,  therefore,  be  aban- 
doned, the  entire  force  of  the  ordinance  will  be  de- 
stroyed, and  its  design  obliterated. 

Sprinkling  sets  forth  no  great  doctrine  of  the  Gos- 
pel. Only  when  the  disciple  is  buried  beneath  the 
water,  and  raised  up  again,  do  the  beauty,  force, 
and  meaning,  which  divine  wisdom  intended,  ap- 
pear in  that  sacred  ordinance. 


THE    WATER  SUPPLY. 

Among  the  weak  arguments  used,  and  the  inde- 
fensible positions  assumed  by  the  advocates  of 
sprinkling,  is  this — one  of  the  weakest,  and  least 
defensible — that  the  Jordan  had  not  sufBcient  depth 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM.  43 1 

of  water  for  immersing  the  multitudes  said  to  have 
been  baptized  by  John  and  the  disciples  of  Jesus; 
and  that  there  were  no  conveniences  in  Jerusalem 
for  immersing  the  large  number  of  early  converts 
who  were  baptized  there.  Consequently,  they  say, 
those  converts  must  have  had  water  sprinkled  on 
them  instead. 

Puerile  as  may  seem  this  objection,  it  has  been 
seriously  put  forth  by  not  a  few  of  the  advocates  of 
aspersion,  even  in  the  face  of  Scripture  testimony, 
and  against  scholarship  and  history.  Such  asser- 
tions indicate  the  ignorance  or  the  recklessness  of 
those  who  make  them,  and  show  how  prejudice  may 
unfit  even  good  men  for  a  just  discussion  of  grave 
subjects.  The  objection  is  too  trifling  to  merit  seri- 
ous regard;  and  yet  the  testimony  on  this  point  is 
so  abundant,  and  so  conclusive — and  that,  too,  from 
Pedobaptist  sources — as  to  make  it  both  pleasant 
and  fitting  to  adduce  some  of  it  in  this  connection. 

Prof.  Edward  Robinson,  in  1840,  made  a 
careful  survey  of  Palestine,  including  the  Jordan 
river.  His  statements  corroborate  those  of  others, 
as  to  the  abundant  supply  of  water  both  in  the  Jor- 
dan and  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem  itself.  He  cites  the 
earlier  but  well-known  travelers  whose  published 
works  are  familiar  to  the  reading  public:  Seetzen, 
who  visited  the  country  in  1806;  Burckhardt,  who 
explored  it  in  1812;  Irby  and  Mangles,  in  1818,  and 
Buckingham,  who  traveled  through  it  at  about  the 
same    time.     These     distinguished   explorers  pub- 


432  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

lished    the  results  of  their  travels,  which    can    be 
consulted. — Rob.  Bib.  Resear.,  Vol.  II.,  pp.  25J-26J. 

Lieut.  Lynch,  of  the  United  States  navy,  was, 
in  1848,  sent  out  by  his  government  in  charge  of  an 
expedition  to  explore  the  river  Jordan  and  the  Dead 
Sea.  This,  of  course,  had  no  connection  with  po- 
lemic discussions,  and  least  of  all  was  it  to  settle 
the  baptismal  question.  It  was  done  for  antiqua- 
rian research,  and  for  the  advancement  of  science. 

The  expedition  passed  down  the  entire  length  of 
the  Jordan,  in  boats,  from  the  Sea  of  Galilee  to  the 
Dead  Sea;  made  frequent  and  careful  surveys,  which 
were  accurately  recorded  and  officially  published. 

The  river  was  found  to  vary  in  width  from  seven-- 
ty-five  to  two  hundred  feet;  and  in  depth  irom  three 
to  twelve  feet.  At  Bethabara,  where  tradition  has 
fixed  the  place  of  our  Saviour's  baptism,  and  where 
John  baptized  the  multitudes,  Lieut.  Lynch  gives 
th^  width  as  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet,  and  the 
greatest  depth  as  twelve  feet.  There  certainly  is  no 
lack  of  water  there,  since  one  quarter  of  twelve  feet 
would  be  sufficient  for  burying  converts  in  baptism. 

It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  thousands  of  Chris- 
tian pilgrims  from  adjacent  countries  visit  this  spot 
at  a  certain  season  annually  to  bathe  in  the  waters, 
held  sacred  by  them  because  of  Christ's  baptism 
there.  The  expedition  witnessed  one  of  these 
scenes,  and  had  their  boats  in  readiness  to  prevent 
accidents,  which  it  was  feared  might  occur  in  so 
great  a  crowd  of  fanatical  devotees,  in  so  great  a 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM.  .      433 

depth  of  water.  Had  the  advocates  of  sprinkling 
been  present  they  might  have  found  an  argument 
as  perilous  as  it  would  have  been  convincing  for  a 
sufficient  depth  of  water  for  the  immersion  of  Chris- 
tian believers.  Scarcely  an  occasion  of  this  kind 
transpires  without  some  fatal  accidents  by  drowning 
in  the  deep  and  rapid  current. — Lynch^  chs,  lOy  il. 

Dean  Stanley,  a  distinguished  divine  and 
scholar  of  the  English  Church,  made  the  tour  of 
the  Holy  Land  in  1853,  explored  the  Jordan  valley, 
witnessed  the  bathing  of  the  pilgrims,  and  recorded 
this  remark  touching  the  baptism  of  John: 

"  He  came  baptizing,  that  is,  signifying  to  those  who  came 
to  him,  as  )\^  plunged \\i^m  under  the  rapid  torrent,  the  for- 
giveness and  forsaking  of  their  sins."  "There  began  that 
sacred  rite  which  has  since  spread  throughout  the  world; 
through  the  vast  baptisteries  of  the  Southern  and  Oriental 
churches,  gradually  dwindling  to  the  little  fonts  of  the  North 
and  West." — Stanley's  Syria  and  Palestine,  ch.  7, pp.  J06-7. 

Dr.  Thomson,  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  mis- 
sionary in  Syria  and  Palestine,  and  very  familiar 
with  the  Holy  Land,  traversed  it  in  1857,  visited  the 
Jordan  in  the  vicinity  of  Jericho,  and  witnessed  the 
bathing  of  the  Greek  pilgrims,  as  described  by  Lieut. 
Lynch  and  others.  Of  this  singular  and  exciting 
scene  he  gives  a  graphic  description.     He  says: 

"  The  men  ducked  Xht  women  somewhat  as  the  farmers  do 
their  sheep,  while  the  little  children  were  csLtvied  and  p/uf^ed 
under  water,  trembling  like  so  many  lambs." 
28 


434  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

Being  Pedobaptists, these  Oriental  fanatics  may  not 
have  performed  their  rites  with  becoming  propriety. 
But  there  was  an  abundance  of  water,  and  they  be- 
lieved in  a  thorough  immersion.     He  adds: 

"  The  current  is  astonishingly  rapid,  and  at  \^2J$,\.  ten  feet 
deep"  "  Two  Christians  and  a  Turk,  who  ventured  too  far, 
were  drowned  without  the  possibility  of  a  rescue."  A  peril- 
ous depth  of  water  certainly.  "  At  the  bathing-place  it  was 
twenty  rods  wide."  "  Boats  could  do  nothing  in  such  a  cur- 
rent, and  it  is  too  deep  to  ford." — The  Land  and  the  Book, 
Vol.  II.,  pp.  44^-446. 

Prof.  Osborne,  who  in  1857  made  the  tour  of 
Palestine  for  scientific  research,  makes  this  note  of 
a  bath  taken  in  the  Jordan: 

"The  current  was  too  strong  to  permit  of  swimming 
across,  though  washing  in  its  waters  completely  freed  me 
from  the  clammy  sensation  which  was  the  consequence  of 
my  previous  bath  in  the  Dead  Sea." — Palestine,  Past  and 
Present,  p.  476. 

Lord  Nugent  says  of  the  Jordan: 

"  Its  general  breadth  is  between  fifty  and  sixty  yards,  per- 
haps a  little  wider;  and  in  most  parts  it  is  too  deep,  within  a 
few  feet  out  (when  thus  high),  to  allow  any  but  swimmers  to 
trust  themselves  out  of  arm's  reach  of  the  brink,  and  its 
drooping  branches  and  tall  reeds.  The  pilgrims  who  come 
thither  in  crowds  at  Easter,  bathe  in  this  way.  Some  of  us 
tried  to  make  way  against  the  current,  but  were  carried  sev- 
eral yards  down  before  reaching  even  the  full  strength  of  it." 
—  Travels,  Vol.  II.,  p.  100. 

The  city  of  Jerusalem  was  abundantly  supplied 
with  water,  to  a  large  extent  by  pools  and  cisterns, 


-CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM.  435 

many  of  which  were  of  great  size.  Outside,  but  near 
the  city,  were  others  of  still  larger  dimensions. 
These  were  constructed  in  part  for  the  purpose  of 
furnishing  water  for  the  ordinary  uses  of  life,  and  in 
part  to  supply  conveniences  for  the  many  ablutions 
enjoined  by  the  Mosaic  law. 

These  pools  were  abundant  in  our  Savior's  time, 
and  some  of  them  still  remain,  containing  water, 
and  even  now  affording  admirable  conveniences  for 
the  administration  of  baptism  in  its  primitive  form. 
Others,  now  in  a  ruined  state,  distinctly  reveal  their 
original  form  and  magnitude.  The  greater  part  o^ 
them  were  in  good  repair,  and  continued  to  be  used 
for  hundreds  of  years  after  Christ. 

Dr.  Edward  Robinson  visited  Jerusalem  in  the 
prosecution  of  his  researches,  and  made  careful  and 
extensive  investigations  touching  the  topography 
and  antiquities  of  the  Holy  City.  The  results,  pub- 
lished in  his  **  Researches  "  in  1841,  have  been  fully 
corroborated  by  other  and  more  recent  surveys. 
They  are  as  follows:* 

The  Pool  of  Bethesda  is  three  hundred  and  sixty  (360) 
feet  long,  one  hundred  and  thirty  (i  30)  feet  wide,  and  seventy- 
five  (75)  feet  deep.  When  full,  it  was  a  considerable  pond, 
covering  more  than  an  acre  of  ground. 

The  Pool  of  Siloam  is  fifty-three  (53)  feet  long,  eighteen 
(18)  feet  wide,  and  nineteen  (19)  feet  deep;  it  now  holds  two 

*  Robinson's  Biblical  Researches,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  480-515.  See, 
also,  Thomson's  Land  and  Book,  Vol.  II.,  pp.  64  and  446, 


436  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

or  three  feet  of  water,  which  can  readily  be  increased  to  a 
much  greater  depth. 

The  Upper  Pool  is  three  hundred  and  sixteen  (316)  feet 
long,  two  hundred  and  eighteen  (218)  feet  wide,  and  eighteen 
(18)  feet  deep,  covering  an  acre  and  a  half  of  ground. 

The  Pool  of  Hezekiah  is  two  hundred  and  forty  (240)  feet 
long,  and  one  hundred  and  forty-four  (144)  feet  wide,  and  is 
partly  filled  with  water. 

The  Lower  Pool,  or  Pool  of  Gihon,  is  five  hundred  and 
ninety-two  (592)  feet  long,  two  hundred  and  sixty  (260)  feet 
wide,  and  forty  (40)  feet  deep,  covering  more  than  three  and 
a  half  acres  of  ground.  This  pool  is  now  dry;  but  so  lately 
as  the  time  of  the  Crusaders  was  fully  supplied  with  water, 
and  free  to  the  use  of  all. 

Several  other  pools  existed,  either  in  or  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  the  city.  They  were  all  constructed  with  sides 
gradually  sloping  inward  and  downward,  so  as  to  make 
a  descent  into  the  water  to  any  required  depth  safe  and 
easy,  and  were,  doubtless,  in  daily  use  for  purposes  of  ablu- 
tion, as  constantly  practised  by  the  Jews. 

Dr.  Barclay,  who  spent  many  years  in  mission- 
ary labor  in  Jerusalem,  and  who,  so  far  as  that  city 
is  concerned,  is  perhaps  the  most  competent  and 
reliable  of  all  authorities,  substantiates  the  above 
statements  by  his  own  testimony. — City  of  the  Great 
King.  See,  also.  Prof.  Chase  s  Design  of  Baptism^ 
with  Dr.   Sampson's  Article ,  p.  115. 

Dr.  Thomson,  in  his  efforts  to  identify  the  place 
where  Philip  baptized  the  eunuch,  says: 

"  He  would  then  have  met  the  chariot  somewhere  south- 
west of  Latron.  There  is  a  fine  stream  of  water,  called  Mu- 
rubbah,  deep  enough  even   in  June  to  satisfy  the  utmost 


CHRISTIAN   BAPTISM.  437 

wishes  of  our  Baptist  friends."  —  The  Land  and  the  Book,  Vol, 
II.,  p.  J 10. 

Good  testimony  that  is,  from  a  most  competent 
and  reliable  source,  and  from  one  who  did  not  think 
immersion  essential  to  baptism. 

How  fully  such  testimony  from  well  -  informed 
sources  vindicates  the  views  held  by  Ba'ptists,  let 
any  one  judge.  And  how  futile  are  all  objections 
urged  against  immersion  as  the  scriptural  mode  of 
baptism,  on  the  ground  of  an  insufficient  supply  of 
water  for  such  a  purpose,  is  manifest.  And  this  tes- 
timony comes  from  those  who  have  no  doctrinal 
sympathy  with  Baptists. 

ASPERSION    FOR   IMMERSION. 

We  may  now  properly  inquire  when  and  why  was 
sprinkling  introduced  and  accepted  as  a  substitute 
for  the  original  scriptural  form  of  dipping  in  bap- 
tism .-*  Why  and  when  did  a  human  device  super- 
sede a  divine  institution  .-*  The  question  has  its 
interest  and  its  importance,  and  is  fully  and  satis- 
factorily answered  by  Pedobaptists  themselves.  We 
accept  their  testimony  as  a  complete  justification  of 
our  position  in  respect  to  this  ordinance. 

For  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  after  Christ  we 
have  no  evidence  of  any  departure  from  the  primi- 
tive practice  of  immersion — the  first  authenticated 
instance  of  such  a  departure  being  about  the  middle 
of  the  third  century,  or  A.  D.  250.  This  was  in  the 
case  of  Novatian.     Eusebius,    the   historian,  gives 


43?  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

this  case,  and  no  earlier  instance  could  be  found  by 
Dr.  Wall  in  his  laborious  researches.  Good  evi- 
dence that  none  earlier  existed.  What  he  failed  in 
this  direction  to  discover,  it  would  be  difficult  for 
any  other  one  to  find. 

Novatian  was  dangerously  ill,  and  believing 
himself  about  to  die,  he  greatly  desired  to  be  bap- 
tized, not  having  as  yet  received  that  ordinance.  As 
the  case  seemed  urgent,  and  he  was  thought  too 
feeble  to  be  immersed,  it  was  decided  to  try  a  sub- 
stitute as  nearly  resembling  baptism  as  possible. 
Water  was  poured  profusely  over  him  as  he  lay  on 
his  bed,  so  as  to  resemble  as  much  as  possible  a  sub- 
mersion. The  word  used  to  describe  this  action 
{perichutheis,  perfusus)  has  usually  been  rendered, 
besprinkle;  it  rather  means,  to  pour  round  about,  or 
upon  and  over  one.  This  was,  doubtless,  the  action 
in  the  case  of  Novatian,  and  such  a  profuse  over- 
whelming with  water,  it  was  thought,  might  serve 
the  purpose,  especially  as  the  necessity  was  so 
great. — See  this  case  treated  in  Dr.  Chase's  Design 
of  Baptism y  p.  ^^. 

EUSEBIUS,  in  his  history,  quoting  from  Cornelius, 
bishop  of  Rome,  gives  the  following  accounts  of 
this  case — a  case  which  claims  the  more  regard  as 
being  the  first  recorded  departure  from  apostolic 
usage  in  the  matter  of  baptism: 

"  He  fell  into  a  grievous  distemper,  and,  it  being  supposed 
that  he  would  die  immediately,  he  received  baptism — being 
besprinkled  with  water,  on  the  bed  whereon  he  lay,  if  that 


.CHRISTIAN   BAPTISM.  439 

can  be  termed  baptism." — Eccl.  Hist.,  B.  VI.,  ch.  4J.  Cam- 
bridge ed.  168 J.  Also  Bing.  Christ.  Antiq.,  B.  XI.,  ch.  Ji, 
sec.  J.     Also  B.  IV.,  ch.  j,  sec.  11. 

The  historian  himself  seemed  doubtful  as  to  the 
validity  of  such  a  rite. 

Valesius  makes  the  following  comment  on  the 
passage: 

"This  word,  perichutheis,  Rufinus  very  well  renders  be- 
sprinkled (perfusus).  For  people  who  were  sick,  and  baptized 
on  their  beds,  could  not  be  dipped  in  water  by  the  priest,  but 
were  besprinkled  by  him.  This  baptism  was  thought  imper- 
fect, and  not  solemn,  for  several  reasons.  Also,  they  who 
were  thus  baptized  were  called  ever  afterward  Clinici;  and 
by  the  twelfth  canon  of  the  Council  of  Neocesarea,  these 
Clinici  were  prohibited  priesthood." — Cited  by  Booth,  Pedo-ex. 
ch.  7,  ref.  2.  Also,  Chase  s  Design  of  Baptism,  p.  jj.  Bing. 
Antiq.,  B.  IV.,  ch.  j,  sec.  11. 

Dr.  Wall,  the  able  historian  and  defender  of  in- 
fant baptism,  makes  the  following  statement  respect- 
ing the  case  of  Novatian  : 

"Anno  Domini  251  Novatian  was,  by  one  part -of  the 
clergy  and  people  of  Rome,  chosen  Bishop  of  that  Church, 
in  opposition  to  Cornelius,  who  had  before  been  chosen  by 
the  major  part,  and  was  already  ordained.  Cornelius  does, 
in  a  letter  to  Fabius,  Bishop  of  Antioch,  vindicate  his  right, 
showing  that  Novatian  came  not  canon ically  to  his  orders- 
of  priesthood,  much  less  was  capable  of  being  chosen  Bishop; 
for  that  all  the  clergy,  and  a  great  many  of  the  laity,  were 
against  his  being  ordained  presbyter;  because  it  was  not  law- 
ful, they  said,  for  one  that  had  been  baptized  in  his  bed  in 
time  of  sickness,  as  he  had  been,  to  be  admitted  to  any  order 
of  the  c\^x^."—Euseb.  Eccl.  Hist.,  B.  VI.,  ch.  43.  Walls 
Hist.  Inf.  Bap.,  p.  I  J.,  ch.  9,  p.  463. 


440  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

It  is  evident  that  such  a  substitute  for  baptism  was, 
at  the  time,  generally  considered  as  unscriptural 
and  improper.  But,  having  been  introduced,  and 
by  some  accepted,  from  that  time  the  practice  of 
affusion  or  aspersion  was  resorted  to  in  cases  of 
sickness;  hence,  denominated  **  clinic  baptism," 
from  clina,  a  couch  or  bed,  on  which  it  was  received. 

Bishop  Taylor  says : 

"It  was  a  formal  and  solemn  question  made  by  Magnus 
to  Cyprian  whether  they  are  to  be  esteemed  right  Christians, 
who  are  only  sprinkled  with  water,  and  not  washed  or  dipped." 
—Duct.  Dubii.,  B.  III.,  ch.  4,  r.  13. 

Dr.  Towerson  says  : 

"  The  first  mention  we  find  of  aspersion  in  the  baptism  of 
the  elder  sort,  was  in  the  case  of  the  Clinici,  or  men  who  re- 
ceived baptism  upon  their  sick  beds." — Sacra.  Bap.,  p.  III,^ 
P'59' 

Venema  says  : 

"  Sprinkling  was  used  in  the  last  moments  of  life,  on  such 
as  were  called  Clinics." — Eccl.  Hist.,  Vol.  IV.,  ch.  4,  sec  no. 

Salmasius  says  : 

"The  Clinics  only,  because  they  were  confined  to  their 
beds,  were  baptized  in  a  manner  of  which  they  were  capable; 
thus  Novatian,  when  sick,  received  baptism,  being  besprinkled, 
not  baptized." — De  Vita  Martini,  ch.  /j.  Cited  by  Witsius, 
B.  IV.,  ch.  16,  sec.  I  J. 

Grotius  says  : 

"  The  custom  of  pouring  or  sprinkling  seems  to  have  pre- 
vailed in  favor  of  those  that  were  dangerously  ill,  and  were 


CHRISTIAN   BAPTISM.  44I 

desirous  of  giving  up  themselves  to  Christ,  whom  others 
called  Clinics" — Comment  on  Matt.  j.  6. 

SPRINKLING   PREVAILED. 

In  the  Roman  Church  pouring  for  baptism  was 
tolerated  in  the  eighth  century,  and  in  the  sixteenth 
century  generally  adopted  as  a  matter  of  conven- 
ience, that  hierarchy  presumptuously  arrogating  the 
right  to  change  ordinances. 

Dr.  Wall  says  : 

"  France  seems  to  have  been  the  first  country  in  the  world 
where  baptism  by  affusion  was  used  ordinarily  to  persons  in 
health,  and  in  the  public  way  of  administering  it." — Hist. 
Inf.  Bap.,  p.  II.,  ch.  g,  p.  470. 

The  same  learned  author  states  that  Calvin  pre- 
pared for  the  Genevan  Church,  and  afterward  pub- 
lished to  the  world,  **a  form  of  administering  the 
sacraments,"  in  respect  to  which  he  adds,  '*  for  an 
office,  or  liturgy  of  any  Church,  this  is,  I  believe, 
the  first  in  the  world  that  prescribes  aspersion  abso- 
lutely."— Hist.  Inf.  Bap,     See  above. 

Dr.  Walj.  adds  : 

"And  for  sprinkling,  properly  called,  it  seems  it  was,  at 
A.D.  1645,  just  then  beginning,  and  used  by  very  few."  "  But 
sprinkling  for  the  common  use  of  baptizing  was  really  intro- 
duced (in  France  first,  and  then  in  other  popish  countries) 
in  times  of  popery." — Hist.  Inf.  Bap.,  p.  II.,  ch.  g,  p.  ^rjo. 

Of  England,  he  says  : 

"The  offices  and  liturgies  did  all  along  enjoin  dippings 
without  any  mention  of  pouring  or  sprinkling. "     About  1 550, 


442  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

however,  aspersion  began  to  prevail,  being  used  first  in  the 
case  of  "weak  children,"  and  "within  the  space  of  half  a 
century,  from  15 50  to  1600,  prevailed  to  be  the  more  general." 
The  English  Churches  finally  came  to  imitate  the  Genevan, 
and  casting  off  the  dominion  of  the  pope,  bowed  to  the  au- 
thority of  Calvin,  and  adopted  pouring  in  the  place  of  dip- 
ping.— IVa/rs  Hist.  Inf.  Bap.,  p.  II.,  ch.  g,  pp.  46J-47J. 

The  Assembly  of  Divines,  in  Convocation  in 
1643,  voted  by  one  majority,  mainly  through  the  in- 
fluence of  Dr.  Lightfoot,  probably  the  most  influen- 
tial member  of  the  Assembly,  against  baptizing  by 
immersion,  and  the  year  following  Parliament  sanc- 
tioned their  decision,  and  decreed  that  sprinkling 
should  be  the  legal  mode  of  administering  baptism. 
Both  immersion  and  sprinkling  had  been  in  com- 
mon use.  This  action  ruled  out  immersion  and 
made  sprinkling  sufficient.  The  following  is  the 
form  finally  decided  and  fixed  by  the  Assembly  for 
the  minister  to  use  in  baptism: 

"He  is  to  baptize  the  child  with  water,  which,  for  the 
manner  of  doing,  is  not  only  lawful,  but  also  sufficient  and 
most  expedient  to  be  by  pouring  or  sprinkling  water  on  the 
face  of  the  child  without  any  other  ceremony." — Pittman 
and  Lightfoofs  Works,  Vol.  XIII ,  p.  joo.  Cited  in  Debates  of 
Camp,  and  Rice,  pp.  241-2. 

The  Edinburgh  Encyclopedia  gives  the  fol- 
lowing account  of  the  rise  of  sprinkling  : 

"The  first  law  to  sanction  aspersion  as  a  mode  of  baptism 
was  by  Pope  Stephen  TL,  A.  D.  753.  But  it  was  not  till 
the  year  1311  that  a  Council  held  at  Ravenna  declared  im- 
mersion  or  sprinkling  to  be  indifferent.     In  this  country 


CHRISTIAN   BAPTISM.  443 

(Scotland),  however,  sprinkling  was  never  practiced  in  ordi- 
nary cases  till  after  the  Reformation;  and  in  England,  even 
in  the  reign  of  Edward  VI.  (about  1550),  immersion  was  com- 
monly observed." — Article  Baptism. 

But  during  the  reign  of  the  Catholic  Mary,  who 
succeeded  to  the  throne  on  the  death  of  Edward  VI., 
1553,  persecution  drove  many  of  the  Protestants 
from  their  homes,  not  a  few  of  whom,  especially  the 
Scotch,  found  an  asylum  in  Geneva,  where,  under 
the  influence  of  John  Calvin,  they  imbibed  a  prefer- 
ence for  sprinkling. — Edinb.  Eyicy.,  Art.  Baptism. 

*'  These  Scottish  exiles,"  says  the  last-quoted  au- 
thority, *'who  had  renounced  the  authority  of  the 
pope,  implicitly  acknowledged  the  authority  of  Cal- 
vin; and  returning  to  their  own  country,  with  John 
Knox  at  their  head,  in  1559  estabHshed  sprinkling 
in  Scotland.  From  Scotland,  this  practice  made  its 
way  into  England  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  but  was 
not  authorized  by  the  established  Church." 

It  was  not  authorized  in  England  until,  as  above 
stated,  the  action  of  the  Westminster  Assembly  in 
1643,  and  confirmed  by  Parliament  in  1644. 

The  Encyclopaedia  Britannica  states  the 
case,  much  to  the  same  effect,  as  follows  : 

"  What  principally  tended  to  confirm  the  practice  of  affu- 
sion or  sprinkling,  was  that  several  of  our  Protestant  divines, 
flying  into  Germany  and  Switzerland  during  the  bloody  reign 
of  Queen  Mary,  and  coming  home  when  Queen  Elizabeth 
came  to  the  crown,  brought  back  with  them  a  great  zeal  for 
the  Protestant  churches  beyond  the  sea,  where  they  had 
been  received  and  sheltered.     And  having  observed  that  at 


444  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

Geneva,  and  some  other  places,  baptism  was  administered 
by  sprinkling,  they  thought  they  could  not  do  the  Church  of 
England  a  greater  service  than  by  introducing  a  practice  dic- 
tated by  so  great  an  oracle  as  Calvin." — Ency.  Britan.,  Ar- 
ticle Baptism. 

Thus  we  have  given,  briefly,  but  accurately,  the 
rise,  progress,  and  final  prevalence  of  this  perver- 
sion— the  substitution  of  sprinkling  for  immersion, 
in  the  administration  of  Christian  baptism. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

THE    lord's   supper. 

The  Lord's  Supper  in  its  institution,  and  also  as 
to  its  symbolic  import,  as  well  as  in  its  relation  to 
Christian  life  and  doctrine,  has  already  been  con- 
sidered. It  would  be  useless,  in  this  place,  to  at- 
tempt a  history  of  the  rite,  especially  a  detail  of  the 
perversions  of  its  uses,  the  bitter  controversies  con- 
cerning it,  or  the  false  claims  set  up  for  its  sacra- 
mental efficacy  in  working  grace  in  its  subjects. 

The  one  question  with  which  we  are  now  con- 
cerned is  a  purely  denominational  one,  having 
reference  to  the  proper  subjects  of  the  ordinance, 
and  the  spiritual  and  ritual  qualifications  of  those 
who  partake  of  it.  Also  as  to  the  proper  and  right- 
ful authority  of  the  Church  in  restricting  its  use,  and 
judging  of  the  qualifications  of  the  participants. 

EUCHARISTIC   PROPOSITIONS. 

The  following  propositions  may  be  stated  : 
Prop.   i. — The  Gospel  calls  on   all   men,  every- 
where, to   repent  and   believe   on   the    Lord    Jesus 
Christ  unto  salvation.     This  is  the  first  act  of  sub- 
mission to  divine  authority  required  of  men. 

Prop.  2. — Such  as  have  exercised  saving  faith  in 
445 


44^  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Christ,  and  are  thus  born  of  the  Spirit,  are  com- 
manded to  be  baptized,  as  a  declaration  of  that 
change,  and  a  profession  of  the  inward  washing  of 
regeneration,  which  has  transpired  in  them.  And 
no  one  is  required  to  be,  or  properly  can  be,  bap- 
tized till  he  has  believed. 

Prop.  3. — All  persons,  having  savingly  believed 
on  Christ,  and  having  been  baptized  into  His  name 
on  a  profession  of  that  faith,  are  expected,  and  re- 
quired, to  unite  themselves  thereby  with  the  com- 
pany of  disciples  as  members,  in  fellowship  with  a 
Church  which  is  Christ's  visible  body.  And  no  one 
can  properly  become  a  member  of  a  Church  till  he 
has  believed  and  been  baptized. 

Prop.  4. — It  becomes  the  privilege  and  the  duty 
of  all  who  have  thus  been  regenerated  by  the  Spirit, 
baptized  on  a  profession  of  faith,  and  are  walking  in 
fellowship  with  the  Church,  to  celebrate  the  death 
of  Christ  in  the  Supper.  Moreover,  it  is  the  duty  of 
all  who  believe  they  love  the  Lord  to  be  baptized, 
and  unite  with  His  Church,  in  order  that  they  may 
obey  His  command,  "This  do  in  remembrance  of 
me."     No  true  disciple  should  neglect  it. 

Prop.  5. — It  becomes  the  imperative  duty  of  the 
churches,  to  whom  the  ordinances  are  committed, 
to  see  to  it,  as  faithful  guardians  of  so  sacred  a  trust, 
that  these  regulations  be  faithfully  observed,  accord- 
ing to  the  will  of  the  Master,  by  all  who  are  mem- 
bers, and  by  all  who  desire  to  become  members  with 
them. 

Prop.  6. — The  pastor,  as  *'  the  chief  executive  offi- 


c  THE  LORD*S  SUPPER.  447 

cer  "  of  the  Church,  acts  as  its  representative  under 
instructions  in  his  sphere  of  service.  But  it  is  not 
his  prerogative  to  determine  who  shall  be  baptized 
into  its  fellowship,  or  who  shall  enjoy  its  privileges, 
including  a  right  to  the  Supper.  The  right  and  re- 
sponsibility of  deciding  those  questions  belong  to 
the  Church  itself,  and  not  to  its  officers. 

Prop.  7. — The  pastor,  in  the  exercise  of  his  Chris- 
tian liberty,  is  not  under  obligation  to  baptize  any, 
though  the  Church  may  approve,  unless  he  believes 
they  are  fit  and  suitable  subjects.  Nor  can  he  bap- 
tize any  into  the  fellowship  of  the  Church  without 
its  consent. 

I.      OPEN   AND   CLOSE   COMMUNION. 

The  difference  between  Baptists  and  other  Chris- 
tian denominations  on  this  question  has  principal 
reference  to  what  is  usually  known  as  open  and  close 
communion.  These  terms  do  not  very  accurately 
define  the  distinction,  but  they  are  in  common  use 
in  popular  discussions  on  the  subject,  and  are  quite 
well  understood. 

Open^  free,  or  mixed  communion,  is,  strictly  speak- 
ing, that  which  permits  any  one  who  desires,  and 
believes  himself  qualified,  to  come  to  the  Lord's 
table,  without  any  questions  being  asked,  or  condi- 
tions imposed,  by  the  Church  where  the  communion 
is  observed.  But  ordinarily  the  term  open  com- 
munion is  applied  to  the  practice  of  the  greater  part 
of  Pedobaptist  churches,  in  which  they  permit  and 
invite,  not  all  persons,  but  the  members  of  other 


448  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

evangelical  churches  to  their  Communion,  whatever 
may  be  their  views  of  doctrine,  or  Church  order,  in 
other  respects. 

Close,  strict,  or  restricted  communion  is  properly 
that  which  does  not  invite  all,  indiscriminately,  who 
may  choose  to  come  to  the  Lord's  table,  but  restricts 
the  invitation  to  a  particular  class.  But  ordinarily 
the  term  close  communion  is  applied  to  the  practice 
of  Baptist  churches,  which  invite  to  it  only  baptized 
believers,  walking  in  orderly  fellowship  in  their  own 
churches.  And  by  baptized  believers,  they  mean, 
of  course,  immersed  believers;  since  they  hold  that 
nothing  but  immersion  is  baptism. 

Nearly  all  Baptists  in  the  United  States,  and  a 
large  part  of  those  in  foreign  lands,  are  strict  com- 
munion in  practice,  as  are  also  a  few  smaller  denom- 
inations; while  the  Latin,  Greek,  and  Oriental 
churches,  and  the  greater  part  of  Protestant  churches 
practise  free  communion.  Which  are  right  ?  Let 
us  compare  them  by  the  infallible  standard. 

II.      THE   OPEN   COMMUNION   VIEW. 

Those  who  favor  and  practice  open  or  free  com- 
munion justify  their  course  by  various  and  some- 
what divergent  reasons.  The  following  constitute, 
in  the  main,  the  arguments  they  use  : 

I.     Sprinkling  Held  to  be  Baptism. 

The  first  class  of  ope?i-communionists  are  those 
who  hold  that  none  but  baptized  persons  should  be 
invited  to  the  Lord's  table,  and  that  the  Church  is 


THE  lord's  supper.  449 

the  rightful  judge  of  the  fitness  of  persons  to  be  re- 
ceived to  its  privileges;  yet  they  assert  that  sprink- 
ling is  lawful  baptism,  and  that  persons  sprinkled 
only,  and  not  immersed,  should,  therefore,  be  ad- 
mitted to  the  Supper.  This  Baptists  deny,  and 
have,  as  they  believe,  proven  the  contrary— that 
sprinkling  is  not  scriptural  baptism. 

2.  Baptism  not  Prerequisite. 

The  second  class  of  open-communionists  assert  that 
the  ordinances  sustain  no  necessary  relation  to  each 
other;  that  baptism  can  claim  no  priority  over  the 
Supper,  and,  therefore,  it  is  not  a  condition,  nor  pre- 
requisite to  it.  Consequently,  unbaptized  persons, 
if  believers — for  they  do  make  faith  a  condition — 
may  partake  of  the  Supper  as  lawfully  as  baptized 
persons.  Therefore  immersion  or  sprinkling,  either 
or  neither,  is  equally  indifferent.  This  theory  vir- 
tually denies  the  memorial  and  symbolic  character 
of  the  ordinance,  and  regards  it  chiefly  as  a  sign  and 
service  of  Christian  fellowship.  This  course  of  argu- 
ment, however  plausible,  is  rejected  and  condemned 
by  the  great  body  of  Christians  the  world  over,  both 
Baptist  and  Pedobaptists. 

3.  The  Church  is  not  to  Judge. 

The  third  class  of  open-communionists  are  those 

who  claim  that  the  privilege  of  the  Supper  is  based 

on  no  ground  of  prescribed  conditions,  on  no  ritual 

preparation,  but  entirely   upon   one's  own  sense  of 

fitness  and  duty.     That  the  Church  has  no  right  of 
29 


450  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

judgment  in  the  case,  and  no  responsibility  concern- 
ing it,  but  is  simply  to  **  set  the  table,"  and  leave  it 
to  each  and  all  to  take  or  to  refrain;  whoever  wishes, 
and  judges  himself  fit,  may  eat  and  drink  in  that  holy 
service  without  hindrance  or  question. 

To  this  attitude  as  to  the  ordinances,  and  to  this 
mode  of  reasoning,  Baptists  strenuously  object;  as 
do  the  great  majority  of  Pedobaptists  themselves. 
It  is  not  only  the  right,  but  the  duty  of  each  Church 
to  guard  the  sacred  trusts  committed  to  it,  and  to 
judge  whether  candidates  for  its  privileges  are,  or 
are  not,  scripturally  qualified  to  receive  them.  Each 
Church  must  be  its  own  interpreter  of  truth  and  duty. 
It  would  be  absurd  to  claim  that  the  convictions  of 
an  individual  must  be  the  authoritative  standard  by 
which  the  body  is  bound  to  act. 

If  the  judgment  of  the  Church  must  yield  to  the 
convictions  of  individuals  in  one  thing,  it  may  in  all, 
and  then  all  order,  government,  and  discipline  would 
be  prostrated  before  an  anarchy  of  conflicting  per- 
sonal opinions.  If  the  privilege  of  the  Supper  be- 
comes common,  all  others  may  be,  since  this  is  the 
highest  and  most  sacred  of  all.  It  would  be  a  crim- 
inal indifference  to  the  Master  of  the  household  to 
allow  the  safeguards  with  which  He  has  surrounded 
the  sanctity  of  His  institutions  to  be  broken  down. 

III.      THE     BAPTIST   VIEW. 

The  following  will  express  with  general  accuracy 
the  view  held  by  Baptists  as  to  the  conditions  of  the 


THE   LORD'S  SUPPER.  45 1 

communion,  and  the  qualifications  of  the  contimuni- 
cants. 

1.  Baptists  hold  that  there  are  three  scriptural 
conditions  to  the  privileges  of  the  Lord's  Supper, 
which  are  imperative  on  the  part  of  the  Church  to 
be  observed: 

a.  Regeneration;  being  born  of  the  Spirit,  and  thus 
becoming  a  new  creature  in  Christ  Jesus.  Without 
this,  no  one  can  be  a  member  of  His  spiritual  body, 
or  can  rightfully  be  a  member  of  His  visible  body, 
the  Church. 

b.  Baptism;  being  buried  with  Christ  in  water, 
on  a  profession  of  faith  in  Him.  This  act  must  pre- 
cede Church  membership,  and  of  course  Church 
privileges,  including  the  Supper. 

c.  Godliness;  an  upright  Christian  life,  orderly 
walk,  and  godly  conversation  as  a  Church  member. 
For  though  one  may  have  been  truly  converted, 
and  rightly  baptized,  if  he  be  a  disorderly  walker, 
violating  his  covenant  obligations,  living  in  sin,  and 
openly  disobeying  his  Lord,  he  has  no  claim  on  the 
Lord's  Table. 

2.  Baptists  claim  that  the  Communion,  strictly 
speaking,  is  a  Church  ordinance  to  be  observed  by 
churches  only.  That  it  cannot  be  administered,  or 
received  by  those  outside  the  Church;  that  mem- 
bers, in  their  individual  capacity,  cannot  administer 
or  receive  it.  Nor  can  the  Church  authorize  individ- 
uals to  administer,  or  receive  it.  The  body  must  act 
in  its  organic  character  in  the  use  of  it;  and  persons 
must  be  within  the  Church,  legitimately  to  enjoy  it. 


452  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

3.  Baptists  insist  that  they  neither  may,  nor 
ought  to,  invite  to  the  Supper  any  except  persons 
converted,  baptized,  and  walking  orderly  according 
to  gospel  rule.  They  believe  the  Church  is  bound 
to  judge  of  the  fitness  of  those  admitted  to  its  or- 
dinances as  well  as  those  admitted  to  its  member- 
ship. To  invite,  or  permit  persons  to  receive  the 
Communion  without  conditions,  is  to  allow  the  vile 
and  the  profane,  the  carnal  and  the  impure,  to 
mingle  with  God's  spiritual  people,  and  eat  and 
drink,  unworthily,  the  symbolic  flesh  and  blood  of 
Christ.  For,  if  the  rule  be  allowed,  to  this  extent 
will  the  abuse  be  sure  to  go. 

4.  Baptists  are  firmly  convinced,  that,  to  maintain 
the  purity  and  spirituality  of  the  churches,  it  is  ab- 
solutely needful  to  restrict  the  Communion  to  re- 
generated persons,  baptized  on  a  profession  of  faith, 
and  walking  orderly  Christian  lives  in  Church  fellow- 
ship. To  adopt  any  other  rule,  or  allow  any  larger 
liberty,  would  break  down  the  distinction  between 
the  Church  and  the  world;  would  bring  in  a  carnal 
and  unconverted  membership,  with  which  to  over- 
shadow the  spiritual,  and  control  the  household  of 
faith ;  would  virtually  transfer  the  Communion 
from  the  house  of  God  to  the  temple  of  Belial.  To 
keep  the  churches  pure,  the  ordinances  must  be 
kept  pure  and  unperverted,  both  as  to  their  sub- 
stance and  their  form. 

5.  Baptists  give  the  following  reasons  in  justifica- 
tion of  their  course  in  the  following  cases  : 

a.  They  do  not  invite  Pedobaptists  to  their  Com- 


THE   lord's   supper.  453 

munion,  because  they  do  not  regard  such  persons 
as  baptized;  they  having  been  only  sprinkled.  The 
fact  that  they  think  themselves  baptized,  does  not 
make  it  so.  If  they  desire  to  commune,  let  them  be 
baptized  according  to  Christ's  command. 

b.  They  do  not  accept  invitations  from  Pedobap- 
tists  to  commune  with  them,  for  the  same  reason; 
they  do  not  consider  them  baptized  Christians. 
Therefore  their  churches  are  irregular  churches  ac- 
cording to  the  New  Testament  standard,  both  in 
the  misuse  of  the  ordinances,  and  in  the  admission  of 
infant  Church  membership.  Therefore  to  commune 
with  them  would  be  disorderly  walking,  and  would 
encourage  them  in  disorderly  walking,  by  uphold- 
ing a  perversion  of  the  ordinances. 

c.  They  do  not  invite  the  immersed  members  of 
Pedobaptist  churches  to  their  Communion,  because, 
though  such  persons  may  be  truly  converted  and 
properly  baptized,  they  are  walking  disorderly  as 
disciples,  by  remaining  in  churches  which  hold  and 
practise  serious  errors  as  to  the  ordinances,  as  such 
persons  themselves  judge.  These  churches  use 
sprinkling  for  baptism,  and  administer  the  ordinance 
to  infants;  both  of  which  are  contrary  to  Scripture, 
as  such  persons  themselves  allow.  And  yet,  by  re- 
maining in  these  churches,  they  give  their  counte- 
nance and  support  to  uphold  and  perpetuate  what 
they  confess  to  be  errors,  and  thus  help  to  impose 
on  others  what  they  will  not  accept  for  themselves. 
This  is  not  an  orderly  and  consistent  course  foi 
Christians  to  pursue. 


454  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

IV.      BAPTISM   IS   PREREQUISITE. 

If  the  Supper  was  intended  to  be  limited  to  those 
converted,  baptized,  and  brought  into  the  fellow- 
ship of  the  churches,  it  may  be  asked,  Why  was  not 
this  fact  made  plain  and  explicitly  stated  in  some 
command  or  precept  of  Christ  or  His  Apostles  ? 
Why  was  not  this  command  as  positively  given  as 
that  which  enjoined  baptism  ?  The  reply  must  be, 
It  was  plainly  and  explicitly  enjoined.  The  form 
of  the  ordinance  was  exhibited  when  instituted  by 
Jesus;  the  command  enjoining  its  observance  was, 
"This  do,  in  remembrance  of  me;"  the  qualified 
subjects  were  those  before  Him;    baptized  believers. 

But  note  the  following  considerations. 

1.  The  example  of  our  Saviour  at  the  institution 
of  the  Supper.  Whom  did  He  invite  to  partake  of 
the  symbols  of  His  body  and  blood  }  Not  an  in- 
discriminate company;  not  all  who  deemed  them- 
selves fit,  and  chose  to  come;  not  all  of  His  pro- 
fessed disciples  even.  But  a  small  and  very  select 
company,  who  had  received  John's  baptism,  or  His 
own,  not  even  including  His  own  mother,  brethren, 
and  other  family  connections.  That  first  Com- 
munion service,  at  the  close  of  or  during  the  paschal 
supper,  was  a  very  restricted  one.  Certainly  no  un- 
baptized  persons  were  present  in  that  upper  cham- 
ber to  receive  the  elements. 

2.  The  language  of  Christ  in  the  Great  Commis- 
sion, and  other  similar  forms  of  speech,  if  not  con- 
clusive proof,  are  very  little  short  of  it,  in  favor  of 


THE  lord's  supper.  455 

the  necessary  priority  of  baptism  to  the  Supper. 
He  commanded  to  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them; 
His  promise  is  to  those  who  believe  and  are  baptized. 
This  order  is  uniform;  teaching,  believing,  baptiz- 
ing. Where  does  the  Supper  come  in  ?  Baptists 
say,  after  the  teaching,  believing,  baptizing,  and 
thus  being  "added  to  the  Church.'*  There  is  no 
room  for  it  before.  But  if  it  comes  before — then 
where  before  }  Before  the  teaching,  and  before  the 
believing  }  Why  not }  If  the  divine  order  is  to  be 
changed,  then  why  not  have  the  Supper  come  be- 
fore the  teaching  and  believing,  and  be  given,  as 
Pedobaptists  give  baptism,  to  infants  incapable  of 
either  instruction  or  faith.  Infant  communion,  as 
practised  from  the  third  to  the  ninth  century  by 
the  Latin  Church,  and  still  practised  by  the  Greek 
Church,  is  equally  scriptural  with  infant  baptism,  as 
now  practised  by  all  Pedobaptists,  whether  Catho- 
lics or  Protestants.  Nor  would  infant  communion 
after  baptism  be  any  more  inconsistent  than  adult 
communion  before  baptism. 

3.  The  New  Testament  history  affords  no  in- 
stance which  can  be  supposed  to  favor  the  theory 
of  communion  without  baptism.  But  abundant  evi- 
dence is  furnished,  in  facts  and  circumstances  men- 
tioned, to  show  that  all  communicants  were  bap- 
tized persons.  Apostolic  instruction,  with  reference 
to  the  Supper  and  reproofs  administered  for  an 
abuse  of  that  sacred  ordinance,  all  are  addressed  to 
churches  and  Church  members.  Those  who  believed^ 
and  gladly  received  the  Word^  were  baptized^  then 


456  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

added  to  the  Church;  then  they  continued  steadfast 
in  the  Apostles'  doctrine,  and  in  the  breaking  of 
bread,  and  oi prayer. 

4.  The  almost  unvarying  testimony  of  Christian 
history  through  all  its  ages  should  be  accepted  as 
important  evidence  in  this  case.  Both  Catholics 
and  Protestants,  Baptists  and  Pedobaptists,  with 
singular  unanimity^  declare  baptism  to  be  prerequi- 
site to  the  Communion. 

Justin  Martyr,  one  of  the  early  Christian  Fa- 
thers, about  A.  D.  140,  says  of  the  Supper: 

"This  food  is  called  by  us  the  Eucharist,  of  which  it  is 
not  lawful  for  any  one  to  partake,  but  such  as  believe  the 
things  taught  by  us  to  be  true,  and  have  been  baptized." — 
Apol.   I.  C,  dj,  66,     See  Schafs  Ck.  Hist.,  II.,  ^16. 

MOSHEIM,  in  his  Church  History,  says: 
"  Neither  those  doing  penance,  nor  those  not  yet  baptized, 
were  allowed  to  be  present  at  the  celebration  of  this  ordi- 
nance." "The  sacred  mystery  of  the  service  was  deemed  so 
great  as  to  exclude  the  unbaptized  from  the  place." — Eccl. 
Hist. ,  Cent.  II, ,  part  II. ,  chap.  4,  sec.  j. 

Neander,  the  great  Church  historian,  says: 
"  At  this  celebration,  as  may  be  easily  concluded,  no  one 
could  be  present  who  was  not  a  member  of  the  Christian 
Church,  and  incorporated  into  it  by  the  rite  of  baptism." — 
Ch.Hist.,  Vol.  L,p.j27. 

Cave,  one  of  the  most  reliable  writers  on  Chris- 
tian antiquities,  says  the  communicants  in  the  prim- 
itive Church  were  those 

"  That  had  embraced  the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel,  and  had 


THE   lord's   supper.  457 

been  baptized  into  the  faith  of  Christ.  For,  looking  upon 
the  Lord's  Supper  as  the  highest  and  most  solemn  act  of  re- 
ligion, they  thought  they  could  never  take  care  enough  in 
dispensing  it." — Prim.  Christ.,  ch.  ii,p.JSJ. 

Bingham,  in  his  able  work  on  the  antiquities  of 
the  Christian  Church,  says  of  the  early  Christians: 

"As  soon  as  a  man  was  baptized  he  was  communicated," 
that  is,  admitted  to  the  Communion.  Baptism,  therefore, 
preceded  the  Supper. — Christ.  Antiq.,  B.  XII.,  ch.  4,  sec.  g; 
B.XV.,ch.j. 

Wall,  who  searched  the  records  of  antiquity  for 
facts  illustrating  the  history  of  the  ordinances,  says: 

"  No  Church  ever  gave  the  Communion  to  any  before  they 
were  baptized.  Among  all  the  absurdities  that  were  ever  held, 
none  ever  maintained  that  any  person  should  partake  of  the 
Communion  before  he  was  baptized." — Hist.  Inf.  Bap.,  part 
II.,  ch.  p. 

Doddridge  says: 

"  It  is  certain  that,  so  far  as  our  knowledge  of  primitive 
antiquity  reaches,  no  unbaptized  person  received  the  Lord's 
Supper." — Lectures,  pp.  ^11,  ^12. 

Baxter  says: 

"  What  man  dares  go  in  a  way  which  hath  neither  precept 
nor  example  to  warrant  it,  from  a  way  that  hath  full  consent  of 
both  ?  Yet  they  that  will  admit  members  into  the  visible 
Church  without  baptism  do  so." — Plain  Scrip.  Proof,  24. 

Dick  says: 

"  An  uncircumcised  man  was  not  permitted  to  eat  the  pass- 
over;  and  an  unbaptized  man  should  not  be  permitted  to  par- 
take of  the  Eucharist."— T/^^i?/.,  Vol.  II.,  p.  220. 


458  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

D WIGHT  says: 

"It  is  an  indispensable  qualification  for  this  ordinance, 
that  the  candidate  for  communion  be  a  member  of  the  visi- 
ble Church,  in  full  standing.  By  this  I  intend  that  he  should 
be  a  man  of  piety;  that  he  should  have  made  a  public  pro- 
fession of  religion,  and  that  he  should  have  been  baptized." 
— Syst.  Theol.  Ser.  i6o,  B.  VIII.,  ch.  4,  sec.  7. 

SCHAFF  says: 

"  The  Communion  was  a  regular  part,  and,  in  fact,  the 
most  important  and  solemn  part  of  the  Sunday  worship,  .  .  . 
in  which  none  but  full  members  of  the  Church  could  engage." 
—Ch.  Hist.,  Vol.  /.,  /.  3g2.     N.  V.,  1S71. 

Coleman  says: 

"  None,  indeed,  but  believers,  in  full  communion  with  the 
Church,  were  permitted  to  be  present."  "  But  agreeably  to 
all  the  laws  and  customs  of  the  Church,  baptism  constituted 
membership  with  the  Church.  All  baptized  persons  were 
legitimately  numbered  among  the  communicants  as  mem- 
bers of  the  Church." — Ancient  Christ.  Ex.,  ch.  21,  sec.  8. 

These  witnesses  to  our  position,  not  being  Bap- 
tists, may  command  the  more  regard  from  those 
who  do  not  agree  with  us.  Other  similar  testimo- 
nies need  not  be  cited. 

V.      ONE   AND   THE   SAME   RULE. 

Here  observe,  that  Baptists  and  Pedobaptists  have 
one  and  the  same  rule  as  to  the  conditions  of  the 
Communion,  viz.:  they  all  hold  baptism  to  be  pre- 
requisite, and  that  unbaptized  persons  have  no  law 
ful  ri^ht  to  it. 


THE  lord's  supper.  459 

For  though  there  may  be  a  few  ministers,  and 
possibly  a  few  churches,  that  would  invite  anybody 
and  everybody,  yet  such  a  course  would  be  con- 
trary to  the  standards,  and  opposed  to  the  usages  of 
their  churches  generally.  They  all  practise  a  re- 
stricted or  close  communion,  since  they  restrict  the 
privilige  to  baptized  believers.  But  inasmuch  as 
they  hold  that  sprinkling  as  well  as  immersion  is 
baptism,  their  communion  is  more  open,  and  tha^t  of 
Baptists  is  more  close,  by  the  difference  between 
their  views  of  baptism  and  ours,  and  by  that  differ- 
ence only.  Therefore  the  question  in  debate  is  one, 
after  all,  not  of  communion,  but  of  baptism.  Let 
them/r^z^^  that  sprinkling  is  baptism,  or  admit  that 
it  is  ftot,  and  the  communion  controversy  will  cease. 

Dr.  Griffin,  one  of  the  fathers  of  New  England 
Congregationalism,  said: 

"I  agree  with  the  advocates  of  close  communion  in  two 
points:  i.  That  baptism  is  the  initiatory  ordinance  which 
introduces  us  into  the  visible  Church — of  course,  where  there 
is  no  baptism  there  are  no  visible  churches.  2.  That  we 
ought  not  to  commune  with  those  who  are  not  baptized,  and 
of  course  not  Church  members,  even  if  we  regard  them  as 
Christians." — Letter  on  Baptism,  i82g.  See  Curtis  on  Com., 
p.  125. 

Bishop  Coxe,  oi  the  Episcopal  Diocese  of  West- 
ern New  York,  says: 

"  The  Baptists  hold  that  we  have  never  been  baptized,  and 
they  must  exclude  us  from  their  communion  table,  if  we  were 
disposed  to  go  there.  Are  we  offended?  No;  we  call  it 
principle,  and  we  re?-pect  it.     To  say  that  we  have  never  be- 


460  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

come  members  of  Christ  by  baptism  seems  severe,  but  it  is 
conscientious  adherence  to  duty,  as  they  regard  it.  I  should 
be  the  bigot,  and  not  they,  if  I  should  ask  them  to  violate 
their  discipline  in  this  or  in  any  other  particular." — On  Christ. 
Unity,  in  Church  Union,  July,  i8gi. 

Dr.  Hibbard,  a  leading  Methodist  scholar  and 
divine,  says: 

"  In  one  principle  Baptist  and  Pedobaptist  churches 
agree.  They  both  agree  in  rejecting  from  communion  at  the 
table  of  the  Lord,  and  in  denying  the  rights  of  Church  fellow- 
ship to  all  who  have  not  been  baptized;"  and  with  admirable 
frankness  he  adds:  "  The  charge  of  dose  comfnunion  is  no 
more  applicable  to  the  Baptists  than  to  us  [Pedobaptists],  in- 
somuch as  the  question  of  Church  fellowship  with  them  is 
determined  by  as  liberal  principles  as  it  is  with  any  other  Prot- 
estant churches — so  far,  I  mean,  as  the  present  subject  is 
concerned:  /.  e.,  it  is  determi7ied  by  valid  baptism." — Hibbard 
on  Christ.  Bap., p.  II.,  p.  174. 

Dr.  Bullock,  another  Methodist  divine,  says: 

"Close  communion,  as  it  is  generally  termed,  is  the  only 
logical  and  consistent  course  for  Baptist  churches  to  pursue. 
If  their  premises  are  right,  their  conclusion  is  surely  just  as 
it  should  be."  And  he  commends  the  firmness  of  Baptists 
in  not  inviting  to  the  communion  those  whom  they  regard 
as  unbaptized.  He  says:  "  They  do  not  feel  willing  to  coun- 
tenance such  laxity  in  Christian  discipline.  Let  us  honor  them 
for  their  steadfastness  in  maintaining  what  they  believe  to  be 
a  Bible  precept,  rather  than  criticise  and  censure  because 
they  differ  with  us  concerning  the  intent  and  mode  of  Chris- 
tian baptism,  and  believe  it  to  be  an  irrepealable  condition 
of  coming  to  the  Lord's  table."—  What  Christians  Believe. 

The  Independent,  the  most  widely  circulated 


THE   LORD'S   SUPPER.  461 

and  perhaps  the  most  influential  Pedobaptist  paper 
in  the  country,  in  an  editorial,  says: 

"  Leading  writers  of  all  denominations  declare  that  con- 
verts must  be  baptized  before  they  can  be  invited  to  the  com- 
munion table.  This  is  the  position  generally  taken.  But 
Baptists  regarding  sprinkling  as  a  nullity — no  baptism  at  all 
— look  upon  Presbyterians,  Methodists  and  others  as  unbap- 
tized  persons."  "  The  other  churches  cannot  urge  the  Bap- 
tists to  become  open  communicants  till  they  themselves  take 
the  position  that  all  who  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  un- 
baptized  as  well  as  the  baptized,  may  be  invited  to  the  com- 
munion table." — Editorial,  July,  iSjg. 

The  Congregationalist,  the  organ  of  the  New- 
England  Congregational  Churches,  in  an  editorial, 
says: 

"  Congregationalists  have  uniformly,  until  here  and  there 
an  exception  has  arisen  of  late  years,  required  baptism  and 
Church  membership  as  the  prerequisite  of  a  seat  at  the  table 
of  the  Lord.  It  is  a  part  of  the  false  '  liberality  '  which  now 
prevails  in  certain  quarters,  to  welcome  everybody  'who 
thinks  he  loves  Christ '  to  commune  in  His  body  and  blood. 
Such  a  course  is  the  first  step  in  breaking  down  that  distinc- 
tion between  the  Church  and  the  world  which  our  Saviour 
emphasized;  and  it  seems  to  us  it  is  an  unwise  and  mistaken 
act  for  which  no  Scripture  warrant  exists." — Editorial,  July 
9,  18^9. 

The  Observer  of  New  York,  the  oldest  and 
leading  Presbyterian  journal  of  this  country,  said  : 

"  It  is  not  a  want  of  charity  which  compels  the  Baptist  to 
restrict  his  invitation.  He  has  no  hesitation  in  admitting 
the  personal  piety  of  his  unimmersed  brethren.  Presbyte- 
rians do  not  invite  the  unbaptized,  however  pious  they  may 


462  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

be.  It  is  not  uncharitable.  It  is  not  bigotry  on  the  part  of 
Baptists  to  confine  their  communion  to  those  whom  they 
consider  the  baptized." 

The  Interior  of  Chicago,  organ  of  the  Western 
Presbyterians,  said  : 

"The  difference  between  our  Baptist  brethren  and  our- 
selves is  an  important  difference.  We  agree  with  them,  how- 
ever, in  saying  that  unbaptized  persons  should  not  partake 
of  the  Lord's  Supper.  Their  views  compel  them  to  think 
that  we  are  not  baptized,  and  shuts  them  up  to  close  Com- 
munion. Close  Communion  is,  in  our  judgment,  a  more  de- 
fensible position  than  open  Communion,  which  is  justified 
on  the  ground  that  baptism  is  not  a  prerequisite  to  the  Lord's 
Supper.  To  chide  Baptists  with  bigotry,  because  they  abide 
by  the  logical  consequences  of  their  system,  is  absurd." 

The  Episcopal  Recorder  said  : 

'•  The  close  Communion  of  the  Baptist  Church  is  but  the 
necessary  sequence  of  the  fundamental  idea  out  of  which 
their  existence  has  grown.  No  Christian  Church  would  wil- 
lingly receive  to  its  Communion  even  the  humblest  and  truest 
believer  in  Christ  who  had  not  been  baptized.  With  the 
Baptist,  immersion,  only,  is  baptism,  and  he  therefore,  of 
necessity,  excludes  from  the  Lord's  table  all  who  have  not 
been  immersed.  It  is  an  essential  part  of  the  system — the 
legitimate  carrying  out  of  this  creed." 

The  Christian  Advocate  of  New  York,  said  : 

'*  The  regular  Baptist  churches  in  the  United  States  may 
be  considered  to-day  as  practically  a  unit  on  three  points : 
the  non-use  of  infant  baptism,  the  immersion  of  behevers 
only  upon  profession  of  faith,  and  the  administration  of  the 
holy  Communion  to  such  only  as  have  been  immersed  by 
ministers  holding  these  views.     In  our  opinion  the  Baptist 


fHE    lord's   supper.  463 

Church  owes  its  amazing  prosperity  largely  to  its  adherence 
to  these  views.  In  doctrine  and  government,  in  other  re- 
spects, it  is  the  same  as  the  Congregational ists.  In  numbers 
the  regular  Baptists  are  more  than  six  times  as  great  as  the 
Congregationalists.  It  is  not  bigotry  to  adhere  to  one's  con- 
victions, provided  the  spirit  of  Christian  love  prevails." 

Many  other  similar  concessions  from  candid  Chris- 
tian men,  who  differ  from  us,  might  be  adduced,  but 
are  unnecessary. 

Thus,  leading  Pedobaptists  themselves  sustain  the 
position  of  Baptists,  so  far  as  the  principle  is  con- 
cerned on  which  close  communion  is  based.  They 
hold,  as  we  do,  that  unbaptized  persons  should  not 
be  invited  to  the  Lord's  table;  and  that  it  is  a  false 
liberalism  which  would  admit  everybody  there,  and 
thus  obliterate  the  distinction  between  the  Church 
and  the  world,  in  this  the  most  sacred  service  of  re- 
ligion. Of  course,  they  hold  that  sprinkling  is  bap- 
tism, and  therefore,  that  sprinkled  persons  have  a 
right  to  the  Communion. 

VI.      THE   SYMBOLISM    OF   THE   ORDINANCES. 

The  design  of  Baptism  was  to  show  the  death  of 
Christ  for  our  offenses,  and  His  resurrection  for  our 
justification.  Thus,  in  the  two  acts,  the  immersion 
signifies  burial^  and  the  emersion  signifies  resurrec- 
tion. In  baptism  the  believer  professes  his  death  to 
sin,  his  burial  with  Christ,  and  his  resurrection  to 
newness  of  life  in  Him — Rom.  6  :  4;  Col.  2:12;  the 
coming  forth  from  the  baptismal  wave,  therefore, 
proclaims  a  new  spiritual  life  in  Christ  begun. 


464  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

The  design  of  the  Supper  is  to  show  that  this  new 
spiritual  life,  thus  begun,  is  to  be  nourished  and 
maintained  by  feeding  on  Christ.  Eating  and  drink- 
ing indicate  sustenance  and  support.  They  show 
the  saint's  dependence  on  Christ,  who  is  the  bread 
of  God,  and  the  abundant  supply  of  grace  repre- 
sented by  the  loaf  and  the  cup. 

Now,  as  life  must  begin  before  it  can  be  nourished, 
so  baptism,  which  symbolizes  its  beginning,  comes 
before  the  Supper,  which  symbolizes  its  nourishment 
and  support.  Thus  it  was  in  the  apostolic  age. 
They  believed  and  were  baptized ;  then  they  were 
added  to  the  Church  ;  then  they  continued  in  the 
Apostles'  doctrine  and  fellowship,  and  in  breaking 
of  bready  and  oi prayers. — Acts  2  :  41    42. 

VII.      BUT   ONE   ARGUMENT. 

Open  communion  has  but  one  argument  to  sus- 
tain it,  viz.,  sympathy  ;  that,  with  some  kindly  minds, 
outweighs  all  others.  It  has  neither  Scripture, 
logic,  expediency,  nor  the  concurrent  practice  of 
Christendom,  either  past  or  present,  in  its  favor. 
But  to  some  it  seems  kind  and  brotherly  to  invite 
all  who  say  they  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  unite 
in  commemorating  His  death  at  the  Supper.  And 
to  exclude  any,  or  fail  to  invite  all,  seems  to  those 
sentimental  natures  harsh,  cold,  and  unchristian. 
To  them,  the  Supper  is  rather  a  love-feast  for  Chris- 
tian fellowship  than  a  personal  commemoration  of 
Christ's  love  by  those  who  have  believed  upon  His 


THE   lord's   supper.  465 

name,  and  been  baptized  into  the  likeness  of  His 
death.  But  sympathy  should  not  control  in  matters 
of  faith,  and  in  "cts  of  conscience. 

VIII.      OBJECTIONS   ANSWERED. 

1.  It  is  sometimes  objected  that  we  make  too 
much  of  baptism;  that  we  make  it  a  saving  ordi- 
nance; that  it  is  not  essential  to  salvation. 

We  reply:  That  baptism  is  not  essential  to  salva- 
tion; but  it  is  essential  to  obedience,  since  Christ 
has  commanded  it;  and  no  one  has  a  right  to  be 
called  His  disciple,  who,  knowing  His  command, 
deliberately  refuses  to  obey. 

2.  Our  Pedobaptist  friends  say  they  invite  us  to 
their  Communion,  why  should  we  not  in  like  man- 
ner invite  them  ? 

We  answer:  They  can  well  afford  to  invite  us, 
since  they  acknowledge  that  our  baptism  is  valid 
and  scriptural;  but  we  do  not  acknowledge  theirs 
to  be  either  scriptural  or  valid. 

3.  Again,  they  say:  It  is  the  Lord's  table,  and  we 
should  not  exclude  any  of  the  Lord's  people. 

To  this  we  reply:  It  is  the  Lord's  table,  and  not 
ours;  therefore  we  have  no  right  to  invite  any  but 
such  as  the  Lord  has  designated.  If  it  were  our 
table  we  could  invite  whomsoever  we  would.  As  it 
is,  we  must  obey  the  Lord  at  His  own  table. 

4.  They  also  ask:  If  the  Lord  has  received  us, 
why  should  not  you  ^ 

We  reply:  The  Lord  has  received  you  to  a  spir- 

30 


466  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

itual  fellowship;  so  do  we.  But  the  Lord  has  not 
received  you  to  His  visible  ordinances  unless  you 
have  obeyed  His  direction.  He  receives  pardoned 
souls  to  His  spiritual  Communion,  but  not  to  the 
outward  Communion  of  His  Church,  till  they  have 
obeyed  Him  in  baptism. 

5.  But  they  say:  We  hope  that  all  will  commune 
in  heaven  together;  why  then  should  we  not  on 
earth  ? 

This  objection  is  based  on  the  assumption  that  all 
who  will  commune  together  in  heaven  should  come 
to  the  Lord's  Supper  here.  But  this  is  fallacious. 
There  will  be  no  baptism  or  Supper  in  heaven. 
There  the  communion  will  be  spiritual,  and  in  spir- 
itual communion  all  of  God's  people  do  unite  now. 
But  Pedobaptists  do  not  themselves  invite  to  the 
Lord's  table  all  they  hope  to  meet  in  heaven,  chil- 
dren, and  many  other  unprofessed  and  unknown, 
but  true,  disciples.  Christ  has  given  His  churches 
laws  and  ordinances  for  their  earthly  state,  none  of 
which  will  be  needed  in  the  heavenly  state. 

6.  And  when  they  say  that  they  do  not  object  to 
our  baptism,  but  they  do  to  our  close  communion , 
we  reply,  as  has  been  shown,  that  the  difficulty  is 
not  with  the  communion  really  at  all,  but  altogether 
with  the  baptism.  And  in  order  to  remove  the  diffi- 
culty, they  must  either  show  that  sprinkling  is  true 
scriptural  baptism,  or  else  that  unbaptized  persons 
may  properly  be  invited  to  the  Lord's  Supper. 

7.  In  one  respect,  Pedobaptists  are  more  close  in 
their  Communion  than  Baptists,  viz.,    in  that  they 


THBi   LORD*S  SUPI>ER.  467 

exclude  a  large  class  of  their  own  members  from 
the  Lord's  table;  that  is,  baptized  infants.  Baptists 
do  not  exclude  their  own  members  against  whom 
no  charge  is  made.  If  unconscious  infants  can  re- 
ceive baptism  on  the  faith  of  sponsors,  they  are  cer- 
tainly competent  to  receive  the  Supper  in  like 
manner,  as  they  did  in  the  earlier  ages,  after  the 
introduction  of  infant  baptism,  from  the  third  to  the 
ninth  century,  according  to  Church  historians,  and 
as  is  still  the  practice  of  the  Greek  Church.  Both 
are  alike  contrary  to  reason  and  the  Scriptures. 

Dr.  Coleman  says : 

"  After  the  general  introduction  of  infant  baptism,  in  the 
second  and  third  centuries,  the  sacrament  continued  to  be  ad- 
ministered to  all  who  had  been  baptized,  whether  infants  or 
adults.  The  reason  alleged  by  Cyprian  and  others  for  this 
practice  was,  that  age  was  no  impediment.  Augustine 
strongly  advocates  the  practice.  The  custom  continued  for 
several  centuries.  It  is  mentioned  in  the  third  Council  of 
Tours,  A.  D.  813 ;  and  even  the  Council  of  Trent,  A.  D.  1545, 
only  decreed  that  it  should  not  be  considered  essential  to 
salvation.  It  is  still  scrupulously  observed  by  the  Greek 
Church." — Anc.  Christ.  Exemp.,  ch.  22,  sec.  8 ;  Bing.  Orig., 
B.  XV.,  ch.  4,  sec.  7  ;  Cave,  jj^-J49  ;  Giesseler,  Vol.11.,  p, 
^J2.     Many  other  writers  bear  the  same  testimony. 


CHAPTER  XVIL 

INFANT   BAPTISM. 

The  baptism  of  unconverted  children  and  uncon- 
scious infants  has  become  common  through  the 
Christian  world.  The  Romish  Church,  the  Greek 
Church,  and  most  of  the  Protestant  churches  prac- 
tise it.  Yet  Baptists  condemn  it  as  unscriptural, 
unreasonable  and  pernicious.  They  believe  that 
repentance  d.nd  faith  should  dXwdiys  precede  baptism. 
Without  these  baptism  has  no  significancy,  and 
serves  no  religious  purpose.  Whenever  these  gra- 
cious exercises  have  been  experienced,  whether  in 
young  or  old,  the  subject  may  be  admitted  to  the 
holy  ordinance  of  baptism.  But  never  till  he  has 
believed.  Infants  incapable  of  faith  are,  therefore, 
unfit  for  baptism. 

Manifest  Propositions. 

Baptists  make  and  defend  the  following  proposi- 
tions respecting  this  practice: 

Prop.  i. — That  there  is  in  the  New  Testament 
neither  precept  nor  example  found  to  authorize  or 
sanction  infant  baptism.     Nor,  indeed,  is  there  even 

an  allusion  to  it  in  the   Scriptures — very  naturally, 

468 


INFANT  BAPTISM.  469 

because  it  did  not  exist  when  the  New  Testament 
was  written. 

Prop.  2. — That  Christ  did  not  institute  it,  nor  did 
either  the  Apostles  or  early  Christians  practise  it. 

Prop.  3. — That  it  arose  with,  and  was  a  part  of, 
the  corruption  which  in  subsequent  ages  crept  into 
the  churches,  having  its  origin  in  the  belief  of  a  sac- 
ramental efficacy  possessed,  and  a  saving  power 
exerted,  by  baptism  on  the  soul  of  the  child. 

Prop.  4. — That  the  practice  is  unauthorized,  pre- 
sumptuous and  censurable  on  the  part  of  parents, 
sponsors  and  administrators,  and  productive  of  evil 
both  to  the  child  that  receives  it  and  the  Church 
that  allows  and  practises  it. 

Prop.  5. — That  it  perverts  the  design  and  falsifies 
the  profession  of  the  Church  as  the  spiritual  body  of 
Christ  by  introducing  to  its  membership  a  carnal 
element  of  unconverted  persons. 

Prop.  6. — That  it  originated  with  the  unscriptural 
dogma  of  baptismal  regeneration,  so  it  must  still  be 
held  by  its  advocates  to  have  some  saving  or  sanc- 
tifying power  on  the  child,  or  else  it  can  have  no 
significancy,  and  be  of  no  avail. 

If  these  statements  be  true — and  their  truth  will 
be  shown — how  can  the  custom  be  defended  and 
continued  by  intelligent  Christians  ? 

I.      NOT   OF  SCRIPTURAL   AUTHORITY. 

Nearly  all  the  learned  and  scholarly  supporters  ef 
infant  baptism    have,  with    commendable    rando 


470  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

admitted  that  it  was  not  instituted  by  Christ,  nor 
practised  either  by  His  Apostles  or  their  immediate 
successors. 

Dr.  Wall,  of  the  English  Church,  who  wrote  a 
History  of  Infant  Baptism,  a  work  so  thorough  and 
able  that  the  clergy,  assembled  in  convocation,  gave 
him  a  vote  of  thanks  for  his  learned  defence  of  this 
custom,  nevertheless  says: 

"  Among  all  the  persons  that  are  recorded  as  baptized  by 
the  Apostles,  there  is  no  express  mention  of  infants. " — Hist, 
Inf.  Bap.,  Introd.y  pp.  i,  jj. 

Fuller,  the  historian,  says: 

"  We  do  freely  confess  there  is  neither  express  precept  nor 
precedent  in  the  New  Testament  for  the  baptizing  of  infants." 
— Infanfs  Advoc. ,  pp.  yi,  i^o. 

Bishop  Burnett  says: 

"There  is  no  express  precept  or  rule  given  in  the  New 
Testament  for  the  baptism  of  infants. " — Expos,  jg  Articles, 
27  Art. 

Baxter  says: 

"  I  conclude  that  all  examples  of  baptism  in  Scripture  do 
mention  only  the  administration  of  it  to  the  professors  of 
saving  faith;  and  the  precepts  give  us  no  other  direction."— 
Disput.  of  Right  to  the  Sacra.,  p.  i^6. 

Prof.  Lindner  says : 

''Christian  baptism  can  be  given  only  to  adults,  not  to 
infants.  The  Holy  Spirit,  which  is  given  only  to  believers, 
was  a  prerequisite  to  baptism." — On  Lord's  Supper^ 
p,   123, 


INFANT   BAPTISM.  47I 

Goodwin  says: 

"  Baptism  supposeth  regeneration  sure  in  itself  first.  Sac- 
raments are  never  administered  to  begin  or  to  work  grace. 
You  suppose  children  to  believe  before  you  baptize  them. 
Read  all  the  Acts:  still  it  is  said,  '  They  believed,  and  were 
baptized.'" — Works,   Vol.  I.,  part  I.,  p.  200. 

Cellarius  says: 

"Infant  baptism  is  neither  commanded  in  the  sacred 
Scriptures,  nor  is  it  confirmed  by  apostolic  examples." — Shyn, 
Hist.  Mennonites,  p.  168. 

LiMBORCH  says: 

"There  is  no  instance  can  be  produced  from  which  it  may 
indisputably  be  inferred  that  any  child  was  baptized  by  the 
Apostles." — Comp.  Syst.  Divin  ,  B.  V.,  ch.  22,  sec.  2. 

Field  says: 

"  The  baptism  of  infants  is,  therefore,  named  a  tradition^ 
because  it  is  not  expressly  delivered  in  Scripture  that  the 
Apostles  did  baptize  infants;  nor  any  express  precept  found 
there  that  they  should  do  so. " — On  the  Church,  p.  jjj. 

Neander  says: 

"  Baptism  was  administered  at  first  only  to  adults,  as  men 
were  accustomed  to  conceive  of  baptism  and  faith  as  strictly 
connected.  We  have  all  reason  for  not  deriving  infant 
baptism  from  apostolic  institution." — Ch.  Hist.  Vol.  I.,  p. 
jii;   Torreys  Trans.  Plant,  and  Train.,   Vol.  I.,  p.  222. 

Olshausen  says: 

"  We  cannot,  in  truth,  find  anywhere  a  reliable  proof-text 
in  favor  of  infant  baptism." — Comment,  Acts  13: 14*  ^5' 


472  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

Hahn  says: 

"  Neither  in  the  Scriptures,  nor  during  the  first  hundred 
and  fifty  years,  is  a  sure  example  of  infant  baptism  to  be 
found." — Theology,  p.  jjd. 

Robert  Barclay  says: 

"  As  to  the  baptism  of  infants,  it  is  a  mere  human  tradi- 
dition,  for  which  neither  precept  nor  practice  is  to  be  found 
in  all  the  Scriptures." — Apology,  Propo.  12. 

William  Penn  says: 

There  is  ' '  not  one  text  of  Scripture  to  prove  that  sprinfc 
ling  in  the  face  was  the  water  baptism,  or  that  children  were 
the  subjects  of  water  baptism  in  the  first  times. " — Defence  of 
Gospel  Truths,  p.  82. 

Prof.  L.  IvAnge,  of  Jena,  says : 

"  All  attempts  to  make  out  infant  baptism  from  the  New 
Testament  fail.  It  is  totally  opposed  to  the  spirit  of  the 
.apostolic  age,  and  to  the  fundamental  principles  of  the  New 
Testament." — Inf.  Bap.,  p.  loi;  Duncans  Hist.  Bap.,  p.  224, 

Dr.  Hagenbach  says: 

"The  passages  from  Scripture  cited  in  favor  of  infant  bap- 
tism as  a  usage  of  the  primitive  Church,  are  doubtful,  and 
prove  nothing." — Hist.  Doct.,  Vol.  II.,  p.  2 00. 

Dr.  Jacobs  says: 

"Notwithstanding  all  that  has  been  written  by  learned 
men  upon  this  subject,  it  remains  indisputable  that  infant 
baptism  is  not  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament."  "  There 
is  no  trace  of  it  until  the  last  part  of  the  second  century." — 
Eccl.  Polity  of  the  N.  T,  pp.  270-71. 


INFANT   BAPTISM.  473 

Prof.  Jacobi  says: 

"  Infant  baptism  was  established  neither  by  Christ  not 
by  the.Apostles."— y^r/.  Baptism,  Kittos  Bib.  Cyclop. 

Dr.  Hanna  says: 

"  Scriptures  know  nothing  of  the  baptism  of  infants."— 
North  Brit.  Review,  Aug.,  18^2. 

Observe  that  none  of  these  authorities  citdTl  wer^ 
Baptists.  Many  more  witnesses  from  the  ranks  of 
Pedobaptist  scholars  and  divines  could  be  adduced 
to  the  same  effect;  but  let  these  suffice. 

II.      HOUSEHOLD  BAPTISMS. 

Some,  however,  have  supposed  that  the  "house' 
hold  baptisms  "  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament 
must  have  included  children,  and  thus  constitute  a 
warrant  for  the  baptism  of  such. 

This  argument,  like  the  others  in  its  support,  ig 
founded  on  the  faintest  and  most  illogical  inference. 
It  is  inferred  that  these  households  certainly  had  in- 
fant children  in  them,  and  that  such  children  cer- 
tainly were  baptized  ;  both  of  which  are  wholly 
gratuitous.  There  probably  are  but  few  Baptist 
churches  in  the  world,  of  any  considerable  stand- 
ing and  numbers,  that  do  not  have  one  or  more  en* 
tire  households  in  their  communion,  each  membef 
of  which  was  baptized  on  a  profession  of  faith. 

I.  Lydia  and  her  Household. 
The  case  of  Lydia,  baptized  atPhilippi,  mentioned 


474  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

in  Acts,  i6th  chapter,  is  especially  relied  on  as  a 
strong  case.  Now  observe,  Lydia  was  a  merchant 
woman,  *' a  seller  of  purple,"  from  "the  city  of 
Thyatira,"  and  was  at  Philippi,  some  three  hundred 
miles  from  home,  on  business,  when  she  heard  Paul 
preach,  was  converted,  and  then  "  she  was  baptized, 
and  her  household."  There  is  not  the  least  evidence 
that  she  had  either  husband  or  children.  If  she  had 
a  husband  why  was  she  so  far  from  home  on  mer- 
cantile business  }  If  she  had  infant  children,  they 
would  not  likely  have  been  with  her  on  such  a  jour- 
ney, so  far  away,  and  for  such  a  purpose.  Her 
"household,"  doubtless,  were  adults,  and  employed 
by  her  in  her  business — her  company.  The  most 
reckless  sophism  alone  could  build  infant  baptism 
on  such  a  case.  A  poor  cause  it  must  be  that  relies 
for  support  on  such  evidence  as  this. 

Dr.  Neander  says: 

"  We  cannot  prove  that  the  Apostles  ordained  infant  bap- 
tism: from  those  places  where  the  baptism  of  a  whole  family 
is  mentioned,  we  can  draw  no  such  conclusion." — Planting 
and  Training,  p.  162.     Ed.  186^. 

Prof.  Jacobi,  with  reference  to  these  household 
baptisms,  says: 

**  In  none  of  these  instances  has  it  been  proved  that  there 
were  little  children  among  them." — Kitto's  Bib,  Cyclo,,  Art. 
Bap. 

Dr.  Meyer  says: 

"  That  the  baptism  of  children  was  not  in  use  at  that  time 
appears  evident  from  i  Cor.  7  :  14." — Com.  on  Acts  16:  ij» 


INFANT   BAPTISM.  475 

Dr.  De  Wette  says: 

"  This  passage  has  been  adduced  in  proof  of  the  apostoli- 
cal authority  of  infant  baptism;  but  there  is  no  proof  here 
that  any  except  adults  were  baptized. " — Com,  N,  71,  Acts 
16 :  IS, 

Dr.  Olshausen  says: 

"  Baptism  ensued  in  this  case,  without  doubt,  merely  upon 
a  profession  of  faith  in  Jesus  as  the  Messiah.  But  for  that 
very  reason  it  is  highly  improbable  that  her  house  should  be 
understood  as  including  infant  children."  And  he  adds: 
"  There  is  altogether  wanting  any  conclusive  proof-text  for 
the  baptism  of  children  in  the  age  of  the  Apostles." — Com, 
Acts  16 :  14,  7j,  KencTs  Trans. 

Most  manifestly,  all  of  her  household,  whether  old 
or  young,  believed,  as  she  herself  did,  before  they 
were  baptized.  Of  this  opinion,  also,  were  Whitby^ 
Law  son  y  the  Assembly  of  Divines  ^  and  other  Pedo- 
baptist  authorities. 

2.   The  Philippian  Jailer  and  his  Household. 

The  case  of  the  Philippian  jailer  and  his  house- 
hold, mentioned,  also  Acts,  i6th  chapter,  is  often 
referred  to  as  of  force  by  the  advocates  of  this  prac- 
tice. 

Now  observe  that  Paul  and  Silas,  being  released 
from  their  confinement,  spoke  the  word  of  the  Lord 
to  the  jailer,  "and  to  all  that  were  in  his  house." 
Whether  adults  or  infants,  any  one  can  judge;  the 
Gospel  was  preached  to  them.  And  the  jailer  "was 
baptized,  he  and  all  his,  straightway."     Then  "  he 


4/6  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

rejoiced,  believing  in  God,  with  all  his  house."  Ob- 
serve, the  jailer's  family  was  baptized;  but  first,  they 
listened  to  the  preaching  of  the  Word,  then  they 
believed  in  God ;  and  then  they  rejoiced  in  their 
new-found  hope.  Who  believes  that  such  a  record 
as  this  could  ever  have  been  made  of  unconscious 
infants  }  There  is  not  the  remotest  allusion  to  chil- 
dren, and  the  narrative  does  not  fit  them  at  all. 
Those  who  were  baptized  were  those  who  believed 
and  who  rejoiced.  It  was  therefore  **  believers'  bap- 
tism," beyond  which  fact  the  particular  age  of  the 
subjects  is  of  no  consequence  whatever. 

Bloomfield  says  : 

"It  is  taken  for  granted  that  his  family  became  Christians, 
as  well  as  himself." — Com.  on  Acts  j6:ji.     Greek  N.  Test. 

Such  is  the  faith  of  Baptists,  and  such  the  com- 
mand of  Christ :  *'  Believe  and  be  baptized."  Cal- 
vin, Doddridge,  Henry,  and  other  Pedobaptist 
scholars,  declare  that  in  this  case  they  all  believed^ 
and  therefore  were  baptized. 

3.    The  Household  of  Stephanas. 

Paul  speaks,  in  i  Corinthians,  1st  chapter,  of  hav- 
ing baptized  **  the  household  of  Stephanas."  This  is 
also  quoted  as  giving  some  support  to  the  infant  bap- 
tismal theory.  The  course  of  argument,  or  inference, 
is  the  same.  It  is  supposed  that  the  household  con- 
tained children,  and  that  these  children  were  bap- 
tized.    How  entirely  gratuitous  !     Households  are 


INFANT   BAPTISM.  477 

constantly  being  baptized  and  admitted  to  the  fel- 
lowship of  our  churches,  but  without  infants  in  them. 
Doddridge,  Guise,  Hammond,  Macknight,  and  oth- 
ers, consider  this  case  as  giving  no  countenance  to 
the  custom  of  baptizing  infants. 

This  same  family  of  Stephanas,  Paul,  in  i  Cor., 
i6th  chapter,  says  were  "the  first  fruits  of  Achaia;" 
and  he  adds,  "  they  have  addicted  themselves  to  the 
ministry  of  the  saints."  This  could  not  have  been 
spoken  of  baptized  infants,  but  well  describes  the 
Christian  activities  of  adult  believers.  No  infants 
can  be  found  in  the  household  of  Stephanas. 

III.      RISE   OF   INFANT   BAPTISM. 

But,  it  will  be  asked,  if  the  baptism  of  unconscious 
infants  and  unconverted  children  was  not  appointed 
by  Christ,  nor  practised  by  his  Apostles,  nor  known  in 
the  primitive  age,  from  whence  was  it,  how  did  it 
arise,  and  when  did  it  come  into  use  ? 

These  questions  are  readily  answered  by  the  tes- 
timony of  its  friends. 

Tertullian  is  the  first  writer  who  mentions  it  in 
history,  and  he  opposes  it.*  This  was  at  the  close 
of  the  second  century,  or  about  A.D.  200.  His  oppo- 
sition proves  two  things.  Firsly  that  it  was  in  occa- 
sional use,  at  least.  Scco?id,  that  it  was  of  recent 
origin,  and  not  generally  prevalent.     For  it  must 

*  Neander  supposes  that  the  much-disputed  passage  of  Irenaeus 
has  reference  to  this  custom— a  little  earlier  than  Tertullian*s 
mention  of  it.     See  Neander* i  Ch.  Hist.,  Vol.  I.,  p.  31 1. 


4/8  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

have  been  in  use  to  be  discussed  and  opposed,  and 
had  it  been  long  prevalent,  it  would  have  been  ear- 
lier mentioned. 

Bingham,  with  all  his  scholarship  and  industry, 
could  find  no  earlier  allusion  to  it  than  that  of  Ter- 
tuUian,  though  he  believed  it  to  have  previously- 
existed.  Had  there  been  any  earlier  historic  record 
he  would  surely  have  found  it.  It  must  therefore, 
as  is  generally  admitted,  have  arisen  about  the  be- 
ginning of  the  third  century  after  Christ. 

Venema  says  : 

"  Nothing  can  be  affirmed  with  certainty  concerning  the 
custom  of  the  Church  before  Tertullian;  seeing  there  is  not 
anywhere,  in  more  ancient  writers,  that  I  know  of,  undoubted 
mention  of  infant  baptism." — EccL  Hist.,  Vol.  III.,  ch.  2, 
sees.  108,  log. 

Curcell^US  says: 

"The  baptism  of  infants  in  the  two  first  Q,^v\XMx\t.'s>  after 
Christ  was  altogether  unknown,  but  in  the  third  and  fourth 
was  allowed  by  some  few.  In  the  fifth  and  following  ages  it 
was  generally  received . " — Inst.  Christ.  Religion,  B.  I.,  ch.  12. 

HiPPOLYTUS,  bishop  of  Pontus,  writing  in  the  first 
half  of  the  third  century,  bears  this  testimony  : 

"  We,  in  our  days,  never  defended  the  baptism  of  chil- 
dren, which  had  only  begun  to  be  practiced  in  some  regions." 
— Hippol.  and  his  Age,  Vol.  I.,  p.  184.     See  Duncans  Hist. 

">.,  p.  iij ;  Curtis  Prog.  Bap.  Princs.,  p.  loi. 


Bunsen,   the   learned    translator  of  Hippolytus, 
declares  that  infant  baptism,  in  the  modern  sense» 


INFANT  BAPTISM.  479 

"  was  utterly  unknown  to  the  early  Church,  not  only 
down  to  the  end  of  the  second  century,  but,  indeed, 
to  the  middle  of  the  third  century." — HippoL  and  his 
Age,  Vol.  III.,  p.  1 80. 

Salmasius  says  : 

"In  thQ  first  two  centuries  no  one  was  baptized  except, 
being  instructed  in  the  faith  and  acquainted  with  the  doc* 
trines  of  Christ,  he  was  able  to  profess  himself  a  believer."— 
Hist.  Bapt.  Luicer.   Thesaur. ,   Vol.  II. ,  p.  iij6. 

Such  testimony,  and  from  such  sources,  is  quite 
conclusive.  Infant  baptism  was  unknown  until  the 
first  part  of  the  third  century  after  Christ.  Had  it 
existed  earlier,  some  trace  of,  or  allusion  to,  it  would 
have  been  discovered.  But  the  most  labored  and 
learned  research  has  failed  to  make  any  such  dis- 
covery. 

It  should  be  added  that  when  the  baptism  of  chil- 
dren did  begin  to  be  practised,  it  was  not  the  bap- 
tism of  unconscious  infants  at  all,  but,  as  Bunsen 
says,  of  **  little  growing  children,  from  six  to  ten 
years  old."  He  declares  that  Tertullian  in  his  op- 
position to  infant  baptism  does  not  say  a  word  ot 
new-born  infants.  Cyprian,  an  African  bishop,  at 
the  close  of  the  third  century  urged  the  baptism  of 
infants  proper,  because  of  the  regenerating  efficacy 
which  the  ordinance  was  supposed  to  exert.  He 
and  his  associates  were  the  first  to  take  this  ground. 
—Hippo I.  and  his  Age,  Vol.  III.,  pp.  192-s ;  Curtis 
Prog.  Bap.  Prin.,  p.  12^. 


48q  the  new  directory. 

iv.    from  what  cause  did  it  spring? 

If  it  be  asked  from  what  cause  did  infant  baptism 
arise,  the  question  is  not  difficult  to  answer. 

It  is  well  known  that  at  a  very  early  period  in 
Christian  history  the  notion  began  to  prevail  that 
the  ordinances  possessed  some  magical  virtue.  It 
was  believed  that  baptism  conveyed  saving  grace 
to  the  soul;  that  by  it  sins  were  washed  away,  and 
the  spirit  fitted  for  heaven.  Thus  the  sick  were 
thought  to  be  prepared  for  death,  and  salvation 
secured,  or  made  more  certain  by  its  efficacy.  Anx- 
ious parents  therefore  desired  their  dying  children 
to  receive  baptism,  and  thus,  ''washed  in  the  laver 
of  regeneration,"  be  secured  against  the  perils  of 
perdition.  Such  was  one  of  the  errors  of  a  super- 
stitious age.  Hence  arose  infant  baptism,  as  one  of 
the  many  perversions  which  early  corrupted  the 
doctrines  and  ordinances  of  Christianity. 

ViTRiNGA  says  : 

"  The  ancient  Church,  from  the  highest  antiquity  after 
the  apostolic  times,  appears  generally  to  have  thought  that 
baptism  is  absolutely  necessary  for  all  that  would  be  saved 
by  the  grace  of  Jesus  Christ.  It  was  therefore  customary  in 
the  ancient  Church,  if  infants  were  greatly  afflicted  and  in 
danger  of  death,  or  if  parents  were  affected  with  a  singular 
concern  about  the  salvation  of  their  children,  to  present 
their  infants  or  children  in  their  minority  to  the  bishop  to 
be  baptized." — Observ.  ad  Sacra.,  Vol.  I.,  B.  II.,  ch.  4,  sec.  g. 

Salmasius  says  : 

*'  An  opinion  prevailed  that  no  one  could  be  saved  without 


INFANT  BArasM.  48 1 

being  baptized ;  and  for  that  reason  the  custom  arose  of  bap- 
tizing infants." — Epist.  Jus.  Pac.  See  Booth's  Pedobap.  Ex., 
ch.  J,  sec.  J. 

Venema  says  : 

"The  ancients  connected  a  regenerating  power  and  a 
communication  of  the  Spirit  with  baptism."  He  further 
asserts  that  the  early  fathers  believed  baptism  to  possess  a 
saving  efficacy,  and  cites  Justin  Martyr,  Irenaeus,  Clemens, 
Tertullian  and  Cyprian  as  of  that  opinion,  the  last-named  of 
whom  has  been  called  "the  inventor  oi  infant  baptism." — 
Eccl.  Hist.,   Vol.  IV.,  p.  J,  sees.  2,  j,  4. 

ChrysOSTOM,  writing  about  A.D.  398,  as  cited  by 
Luicerus,  says  : 

"It  is  impossible  without  baptism  to  obtain  the  kingdom. 
It  is  impossible  to  be  saved  without  it."  And,  as  cited  by 
Wall,  he  says  :  "If  sudden  death  seize  us  before  we  are  bap- 
tized, though  we  have  a  thousand  good  qualities  there  is 
nothing  to  be  expected  but  hell." — Luicer.  Thesaur.,  Eccl, 
Vol.  I.,  p.  J. 

Waddington,  in  his  Church  History,  declares, 
touching  the  opinions  of  the  third  century  : 

"The  original  simplicity  of  the  office  of  baptism  had 
already  undergone  some  corruption.  The  symbol  had  been 
gradually  exalted  at  the  expense  of  the  thing  signified,  and 
the  spirit  of  the  ceremony  was  beginning  to  be  lost  in  the 
form.  Hence  a  belief  was  gaining  ground  among  the  con- 
verts, and  was  inculcated  among  the  heathen,  that  the  act 
of  baptism  gave  remission  of  all  sins  committed  previously." 
—Hist,  of  the  Church,  ch.  2,  p.  jj. 

Thus  we  see  plainly  why,  as  well  as  when,  infant 
baptism  arose.     An  invention  of  men,  based  on  a 
81 


482  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

perversion  of  Scripture  doctrine,  it  is  now  boldly 
claimed  to  be  an  ordinance  of  God.  How  can  hon- 
est and  pious  men  make  such  a  claim  ?  We  are  re- 
minded of  the  words  of  the  pious  Charnock  :  *'  The 
wisdom  of  God  is  affronted  and  invaded  by  intro- 
ducing rules  and  modes  of  worship  different  from 
divine  institution."  And  we  venture  to  ask,  with 
the  devout  Baxter,  though  both  had  reference  to 
other  subjects,  "  What  man  dare  go  in  a  way  which 
hath  neither  precept  nor  example  to  warrant  it, 
from  a  way  that  hath  full  current  of  both  ?" 

V.      BAPTISMAL   REGENERATION. 

We  have  seen  that  the  baptism  of  infants,  with 
that  of  the  sick  and  dying,  originated  in  a  belief  in 
the  saving  efficacy  of  the  ordinance.  Thus,  the  un- 
scriptural  device  of  infant  baptism  grew  out  of  the 
unscriptural  dogma  of  baptismal  regeneration  —  a 
dogma  as  pernicious  as  presumptuous,  and  as  repug- 
nant to  common  sense  as  it  is  to  the  Bible;  but  one  to 
which  the  advocates  of  pedobaptism  have  ever  clung. 

Episcopius  asserts  that  the  Milevitan  Council, 
A.  D.  418,  declared  pedobaptism  to  be  a  necessary 
rite. —  Theol.  Inst.y  B.  IV.,  ch.  14. 

Dr.  Wall  says  : 

"  If  we  except  Tertullian,  Vincentius,  A.  D.  419,  is  the  first 
man  on  record  that  ever  said  that  children  might  be  saved 
without  baptism." — Hist.  Inf.  Bap.,  part  I.,  chap.  20, p.  2J2, 

Hagenbach  says  : 

"  The  Church  of  England  taught  the  doctrine  of  baptismal 


INFANT   BAPTISM.  483 

regeneration,  yet  with  cautions."  He  cites  Jewell,  Jackson, 
Hooker,  Taylor,  Pearson,  and  Waterland,  to  justify  the  as- 
sertion, which  the  baptismal  service  of  that  Church  plainly 
proves. — Hist,  of  Doct. ,   Vol.  II. ,  p.  j66. 

The  words  of  our  Saviour,  **  Verily,  verily,  I  say 
unto  you,  except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  of  the 
Spirit  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God,"  were 
almost  universally  applied  to  baptism,  and  supposed 
to  teach  that  there  was  no  salvation  without  it. 

Wall  declares  that, 

"  From  Justin  Martyr  down  to  St.  Austin,"  this  text  was 
so  understood.  "  Neither  did  I  ever  see  it  otherwise  applied 
in  any  ancient  author."  And  he  adds,  "  I  believe  Calvin 
was  the  first  man  who  ever  denied  this  place  to  mean  bap- 
tism."—//"w/.  Inf.  Bap.,  Pari  II.,  ch.  6,  p.  334. 

The  Catholic  Church  held  to  baptismal  re- 
generation, and  in  the  Council  of  Trent  thus  de- 
clared it : 

'Mf  any  one  shall  say  that  baptism  is  not  necessary  to  sal- 
vation, let  him  be  accursed." — Catechism  Coun.  Trent,  pp. 
163,  173- 

The  Greek  Church  holds  the  same  dogma. 
Cyril,  Patriarch  of  Constantinople,  declares, 

"  That  both  original  and  actual  sins  are  forgiven  to  those 
who  are  baptized  in  the  manner  which  our  Lord  requires  in 
the  Gospel." — Confes.  of  Faith,  ch.  16,  163 1, 

Stapferus  says  : 

They  hold  the  absolute  necessity  of  baptism,  and  that 
"  without  it  no  one  can  become  a  real  Christian  ;  and  that  it 


484  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

cannot  be  omitted,  in  respect  to  infants,  without  endanger- 
ing their  salvation." —  Theology,   Vol,   V.,p.82. 

The  Protestant  Churches  generally  have 
held,  and  to  a  degree  do  still  hold,  the  same  per- 
nicious doctrine. 

Booth  cites  the  following  Confessions  which 
embrace  it : 

"That  of  Helvetia,  of  Bohemia,  of  Augsburg,  of  Saxony, 
of  Wittenberg,  of  Sueveland,  of  the  Church  of  England,  and 
of  the  Westminster  Assembly. " — Pedobap,  Examined,  chap. 
J,  ref.  3. 

A  large  number  of  Pedobapti^st  scholars  and  di- 
vines are  cited  by  the  same  author  as  holding  this 
doctrine,  including  Luther,  Gerhardus,  Vossius, 
Deylingius,  Fiddes,  Whitby,  Wilson,  Scott,  John 
Wesley,  and  Matthew  Henry. 

Do  its  advocates  and  defenders  now  maintain  the 
same  ground  }  Do  they  make  the  same  claim  for 
its  saving  efficacy  t  If  not,  on  what  ground,  and 
for  what  reason  do  they  hold  to  the  baptism  of  in- 
fants t  Have  they  any  reason  for  it,  except  that 
they  have  been  accustomed  to  it } 

VI.    reasons  for  infant  baptism. 

Now,  since  this  rite  was  not  instituted  by  Christ, 
nor  practised  by  the  Apostles,  nor  known  among 
Christians  until  about  A.  D.  200,  how  is  it  justified  as 
a  Christian  ordinance  by  those  who  practice  it  t 
And  by  what  reasons  is  it  sustained  and  defended  } 

I.     Some  good  and  honest  people  really  believe, 


INFANT  BAPTISM.  485 

after  all,  that  infant  baptism  is  taught  in  the  Bible, 
and  are  greatly  astonished,  if  they  examine  the 
subject,  not  to  find  it  there.  A  very  little  effort  will 
show  how  utterly  without  foundation  is  such  a  sup- 
position. Read  the  sacred  records  through,  from 
beginning  to  end,  and  no  allusion  to  such  a  practice 
appears. 

2.  Its  antiquity  commends  it  to  some.  It  has 
been  a  long  time  in  vogue,  and  very  generally  prac- 
tised by  various  Christian  communions.  But  does 
that  make  it  right  ?  Is  a  usage  necessarily  good 
and  true  because  it  is  old  ?  Heathenism  is  older 
than  the  institutes  of  Christianity.  Shall  we  adopt 
and  practise  all  the  absurd  superstitions  of  the  early 
corrupted  churches — the  worship  of  images,  invoca- 
tion of  saints,  prayer  to  the  Virgin,  oblations  for  the 
dead,  baptism  of  bells,  and  many  others;  not  a  few 
of  which  came  into  use  about  the  same  time  as  this, 
and  some  of  which  are  still  older;  any  one  of  which 
has  as  much  scriptural  authority  as  infant  baptism  ? 
Why  do  Protestants  preserve  this  relic  of  popery 
alone,  and  reject  the  others  ? 

Not  what  is  o/d,  but  what  is  true  should  be  our 
rule.  Not  what  antiquity,  but  what  the  Bible  com- 
mends should  we  obey.  Not  tradition,  but,  as  Chil- 
lingworth  declared,  **"the  Bible  only  is  the  religion 
of  Protestants."  As  Basil  said,  so  should  we  say, 
"  It  is  a  manifest  mistake  in  regard  to  faith,  and  a 
clear  evidence  of  pride,  either  to  reject  any  of  those 
things  which  the  Scripture  contains,  or  to  introduce 
anything  that  is  not  in  the  sacred  pages." 


486  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

3.  Some  there  be,  who  confess  that  there  is  neither 
clear  precept  nor  example  in  the  New  Testament  to 
commend  this  practice,  yet  hold  that  the  general 
spirit  of  the  Gospel  favors  it;  fundamental  truths 
are  there  taught,  from  which  the  practice  may  be 
inferred.  A  strange  mode  of  reasoning,  surely. 
For  if  we  may,  by  remote  deduction  and  vague  in- 
ference, originate  ceremonies,  call  them  gospel 
ordinances,  and  impose  them  on  the  consciences  of 
men,  then  the  whole  Jewish  ceremonial,  and,  indeed, 
the  ritual  of  the  Papal  Church  entire  may  be  adopted, 
used,  and  taught  as  of  divine  authority,  binding  on 
believers. 

But  what  a  reflection  is  this  on  the  wisdom  and 
goodness  of  God;  that  He  should  have  left  positive 
institutions,  designed  for  universal  observance  in 
His  churches,  to  be  vaguely  inferred  from  supposed 
general  principles,  rather  than  to  have  been  plainly 
and  explicitly  taught  in  His  Word  !  Such  reasoning 
will  not  serve  in  matters  of  religion.  This  maxim 
of  Tertullian  should  have  due  weight,  **  The  Scrip- 
ture forbids  what  it  does  not  mention."  And  with 
Ambrose  we  may  ask,  "  Where  the  Scripture  is 
silent,  who  shall  speak  ?  " 

4.  Some  have  claimed  that  baptism  came  in  the 
place  of  circumcision.  Hence,  it  is  inferred — only 
inferred — that  as  all  the  male  Jewish  children  were 
to  be  circumcised,  so  all  the  children  of  Christians, 
both  male  and  female,  should  be  baptized.  What 
connection  there  is  between  these  two  institutions 
would  require  a  philosopher  to  discover.     And  yet 


.     INFANT   BAPTISM.  487 

this  has  been  the  argument  chiefly  relied  on  by 
theologians,  scholars,  and  divines  in  this  country 
especially,  for  generations  past,  to  prove  the  divine 
authority  of  infant  baptism.  More  recently  this 
stronghold  of  the  tradition  has  been  less  confidently 
resorted  to  by  learned  men,  and  it  may  be  said  the 
tradition  itself  is  being  slowly  abandoned.  It  can- 
not well  endure  the  light  of  Christian  intelligence. 

Baptism  did  not  come  in  the  place  of  circumcision; 
nor  in  the  place  of  any  other  previously  existing  in- 
stitution. It  has  no  connection  with,  and  no  refer- 
ence to,  circumcision  whatever.  The  following  con- 
siderations will  make  this  plain  : 

a.  If  baptism,  a  Christian  ordinance,  was  designed 
to  take  the  place  of  circumcision,  a  Mosaic  rite, 
would  not  Christ  have  so  stated,  or  the  Apostles 
have  mentioned  the  fact }  But  no  allusion  is  to  be 
found  to  any  such  design. 

b.  Circumcision  applied  to  males  alone.  If  bap- 
tism was  its  substitute,  why  are  females  baptized  } 

c.  Circumcision  was  an  external  sign  of  an  exter- 
nal union  with  a  national  congregation,  to  secure 
the  separation  of  the  Jews  from  all  other  nations 
and  races,  and  their  unity  as  a  people.  Baptism  is 
an  external  sign  of  an  inward  spiritual  work  of 
grace  already  wrought  in  the  heart.  It  indicates 
not  the  separation  of  races,  but  the  unity  of  the  true 
people  of  God,  of  all  races,  as  believers  in  Christ, 
without  distinction  of  blood  or  tongue. 

d.  If  baptism  did  take  the  place  of  circumcision, 
as  is  claimed,  evidently  the  Apostles  did  not  know 


488  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

it,  else  they  would  have  made  some  mention  of  it, 
either  in  the  conference  at  Jerusalem  or  in  Epistles 
written  for  the  guidance  of  the  churches,  or  on  other 
occasions,  when  both  these  subjects  were  under  dis- 
cussion, and  directions  given  respecting  them.  But 
no  allusion  is  anywhere  made  to  such  a  substitution. 

e.  Jewish  Christians  for  a  time  insisted  on  the 
practice  of  both  circumcision  and  baptism;  which 
proves  they  did  not  understand  the  one  to  have  dis- 
placed the  other.  With  their  strong  Jewish  predi- 
lections they  wished  to  retain  circumcision  as  the 
sign  and  seal  of  their  fellowship  with  the  Church  of 
Israel,  and  at  the  same  time  received  baptism  as  a 
sign  and  seal  of  their  adoption  into  the  faith  and 
fellowship  of  Christ  and  His  kingdom. 

The  attempt  to  found  a  Christian  ordinance  on  a 
Jewish  ceremony  is  unreasonable,  futile  and  absurd. 

VII.      OBJECTIONS  TO  INFANT  BAPTISM. 

1.  It  is  founded  on  a  falsehood.  It  claims  to  be 
a  Gospel  ordinance,  when  it  is  an  invention  of  men. 
Christ  did  not  appoint  it;  the  Apostles  did  not  prac- 
tise it;  the  Scriptures  do  not  sanction  it.  This  is  a 
sufficient  reason  why  it  should  not  be  held  as  a 
Christian  rite. 

2.  It  impugns  divine  wisdom  and  insults  the  di- 
vine authority,  because  it  claims  to  be  needful,  or 
useful,  to  religion;  though  Christ,  by  not  appointing 
it  when  he  instituted  the  Church,  virtually  decided 
it  to  be  neither  needful  nor  useful.     Also,  by  bind- 


INFANT  BAPTISM.  489 

ing  the  service  on  the  consciences  of  Christian  pa- 
rents, as  of  religious  obligation  when  God  has  not 
commanded  it,  there  is  an  unwarrantable  assumption 
of  authority,  and  a  grievous  wrong  is  committed. 
Divine  wisdom  knew  best  what  institutions  to  or- 
dain, and  what  commands  to  lay  upon  His  people. 

3.  It  deprives  Christian  converts  of  the  pleasure 
and  privilege  of  believers'  baptism.  For  having 
received  this  rite  in  their  unconscious  infancy  with- 
out their  consent  or  knowledge,  if  in  after  years  they 
become  regenerate  and  truly  united  to  Christ,  they 
cannot  go  forward  in  the  discharge  of  this  duty  and 
be  baptized  on  a  profession  of  their  faith  without 
discrediting  their  earlier  baptism — if  baptism  it  may 
be  called. 

4.  Because  it  appears  like  a  solemn  mockery  for 
parents  and  sponsors  to  become  sureties  for  the 
child  about  to  be  baptized,  and  declare  for  it  that 
they  believe  in  God's  holy  Word,  and  in  the  articles 
of  the  Christian  faith  as  contained  in  the  Apostles' 
creed;  that  they  will  renounce  the  vain  pomp  of  the 
world,  the  devil  and  all  his  works,  with  all  covetous 
and  sinful  desires  of  the  flesh. 

5.  Because  it  requires  the  officiating  minister  to 
declare  what  is  false,  in  the  very  performance  of 
what  should  be  a  most  sacred  service.  He  declares 
what  is  false  when  he  says,  *'  I  baptize  thee,"  since 
he  rantizes,  or  sprinkles,  and  does  not  baptize  at 
all.  Still  more,  and  still  worse,  when  he  asserts 
that  in  this  act  the  child  **  is  regenerated d^vidi  grafted 
into  the  body  of  Christ's  Church;"  and,  also,  when 


490  TH^   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

in  prayer  he  thanks  God  "  that  it  hath  pleased  Thee 
to  regenerate  this  infant  with  Thy  Holy  Spirit;  to 
receive  him  for  Thine  own  child  by  adoption,  and  to 
incorporate  him  into  Thy  holy  Church."  This  is 
solemnly  declared,  when  no  such  thing  is  done,  and 
when  the  minister  who  says  it  knows  that  no  such 
thing  is  done,  unless,  indeed,  he  believes  in  bap- 
tismal regeneration.  The  child  is  not  regenerated, 
nor  adopted  of  God,  nor  incorporated  into  the  Church 
of  Christ  by  this  act.  The  service  falsifies  the  facts 
most  flagrantly. 

6.  But,  perhaps,  worst  of  all,  infant  baptism  still 
teaches,  to  an  extent,  baptismal  regeneration.  It 
is  more  than  a  false  statement,  it  is  a  pernicious  and 
destructive  error.  What  could  be  more  reckless 
than  to  assert,  even  by  inference,  that  a  few  drops  of 
water  on  the  face,  with  any  form  of  words — no  mat- 
ter what — can  make  one  regenerate,  and  a  child  of 
God  ?  If  the  child,  when  grown,  believes  all  this 
— and  why  should  he  not  believe  it,  when  thus  sol- 
emnly taught  by  parents  and  minister  i* — he  believes 
himself  an  heir  of  heaven,  sealed  and  sanctified  by 
the  Spirit,  while  blind  to  the  fact  that  he  is  still  in 
the  gall  of  bitterness,  a  child  of  sin,  an  heir  of  wrath, 
and  in  the  broad  road  to  death.  What  blind  lead- 
ings of  the  blind  !  too  sad  to  be  countenanced  by 
Christian  men  and  Christian  churches. 

7.  Infant  baptism,  in  some  sense — though  its  ad- 
vocates are  not  agreed  in  what  sense — makes  the 
child  a  Church-member,  and  thus  introduces  an  un- 
sanctified  element  into  the  nominal  body  of  Christ, 


INFANT  BAPTISM.  49I 

making  that  body  carnal  instead  of  keeping  it  spir- 
itual. It  thus  destroys  the  distinction  which  the 
Divine  Founder  of  the  Church  designed  should  be 
maintained  between  it  and  the  world.  For  even  if 
the  infant,  as  such,  is  not  a  member,  yet,  when  grown 
to  maturity,  he  is  admitted  to  full  membership,  with 
no  other  evidence  of,  or  demand  for,  regeneration. 
The  purely  spiritual  character  of  the  Church  is 
thereby  destroyed,  and,  like  other  associations,  the 
Spiritual  and  the  carnal  indifferently  make  up  its 
communion.  ''  A  regenerated  Church-membership  " 
Cannot  be  the  motto  or  the  watchword  of  the  advo- 
cates of  pedobaptism. 

.  Prof.  Lange's  protest  should  be  pondered  by 
Protestant  advocates  of  this  papal  emanation: 

•  "  Would  the  Protestant  Church  fulfill  and  attain  to  its 
final  destiny,  the  baptism  of  new-born  infants  must  of  neces- 
sity be  abolished.  It  has  sunk  down  to  a  mere  formality, 
without  any  meaning  for  the  child." — Hist.  Protestantism, 
P'34' 

Other  objections  than  these  mentioned  may  be 
urged  against  this  unscriptural  practice.  But  these 
would  seem  sufficient  to  deter  any  candid  and  con- 
scientious Christian,  who  takes  the  Bible  for  his 
guide,  from  giving  it  any  countenance  or  support. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

BAPTIST  HISTORY. 

Baptists  have  a  history  of  which  they  need  not 
be  ashamed — a  history  of  noble  names  and  noble 
deeds,  extending  back  through  many  ages,  in  which 
the  present  generation  well  may  glory.  From  the 
days  of  John  the  Baptist  until  now,  a  great  army  of 
these  witnesses  for  the  truth,  and  martyrs  for  its 
sake,  has  illumined  and  honored  the  march  of  Chris- 
tian history.  The  ages  since  Christ  have  known  no 
purer,  nobler  lives,  no  braver,  more  faithful  wit- 
nesses for  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  no  more  glorious 
martyrs  for  its  sake,  than  many  of  those  who  honor 
us  by  being  called  *'  our  fathers  in  the  faith."  They 
were  true  to  conscience  and  to  principle,  and  loyal 
to  Christ,  at  a  cost  to  which  we  are  strangers.  They 
went  gladly  to  prison  and  to  death  in  defense  of  the 
Gospel  which  they  loved.  Social  ostracism,  bonds 
and  imprisonments,  confiscations  and  fines,  whip- 
pings, drownings,  and  burnings  at  the  stake,  not 
only  in  solitary  cases,  but  by  hundreds  and  thousands, 
are  certified  to,  even  by  their  enemies.  Christian 
martyrology  has  no  bloodier  and  no  brighter  page 
than  that  which  tells,  however  imperfectly,  of  the 

persecutions  and  sufferings  for  conscience'  sake  of 

49a 


BAPTIST    HISTORY.  493 

Baptist  confessors,  received  during  past  ages,  not 
from  pagan  barbarians  so  much  as  from  professed 
fellow-Christians.  It  is  an  equal  honor  to  their 
record  that,  while  they  endured  persecution  for  the 
truth's  sake,  they  never  persecuted  others  for  con- 
science' sake — never!  How  could  they,  when  one  of 
their  cardinal  principles  was,  and  is,  entire  freedom 
of  conscience  and  liberty  of  faith  and  worship,  with- 
out interference  by  any  ?  And  the  one  priceless 
heritage  they  have  given  to  the  world,  with  which 
the  world's  religious  life  of  to-day — and  its  secular 
life  as  well — has  become  imbued,  is  that  of  entire 
religious  liberty  of  faith,  speech  and  worship,  and 
entire  separation  of  Church  and  State. 

The  time  was  when  toleration  in  religion  was 
hailed  as  a  peculiar  boon,  granted  through  a  gracious 
Providence.  Baptists  have  contended  and  suffered, 
not  for  toleration^  but  for  liberty  in  religion. 

The  world  is  slow  to  acknowledge  its  indebtedness 
to  them ;  nevertheless,  it  remains.  With  a  great 
price  they  purchased  it.  But  they  did  it,  not  for 
glory,  nor  for  gain,  but  for  God  and  humanity. 

No  Baptist  history,  of  adequate  value,  has  thus 
far  been  written.  Not  a  few  attempts  have  been 
made,  and  much  valuable  material  has  been  col- 
lected and  preserved.  We  do  not,  however,  place 
so  much  value  on  written  history,  as  on  present  con- 
formity to  the  teachings  of  Christ,  a  maintenance  of 
the  doctrines,  and  an  imitation  of  the  lives  of  the 
Apostles  and  the  first  Christians.  It  matters  little 
whether  a  Church  can  trace  its  lineage  back  one 


494  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

century  or  twenty.  The  great  question  is,  Does  it 
inherit  the  spirit  of  Him  who  founded  the  Church, 
and  does  it  hold  the  doctrines  and  imitate  the  ex- 
amples of  Christ  and  His  Apostles  ?  Still,  whatever 
of  history  can  be  brought  within  the  range  of  vision 
to  be  studied  should  be  claimed  and  cherished. 

If  it  be  asked,  When  and  where  did  Baptist  history 
begin  ?  Who  were  the  first  of  their  honored  line  ? 
Without  hesitation  we  reply.  They  comrnenced  with 
John  the  Baptist,  or  Jesus  Christ,  the  Head  of  the 
Church.  And  the  first  of  their  faith  were  His  dis- 
ciples, constituting  the  primitive  churches.  And 
though,  in  the  dim,  uncertain  light  of  subsequent 
ages  of  error  and  corruption,  we  cannot  at  all  times 
follow  their  trail,  or  identify  their  presence  with  ab- 
solute certainty,  yet  we  feel  positively  assured  that 
they  have  always  existed.  Like  a  stream  which 
pursues  its  way  from  the  mountains  to  the  sea,  and 
never  ceases,  though  its  course  at  times  be  through 
mountain  gorges,  trackless  deserts,  and  hidden  cav- 
erns, we  know  it  is  somewhere,  though  we  cannot 
trace  it,  but  we  recognize  it  when  again  it  comes  to 
light,  with  a  grander  sweep,  a  deeper  current,  and 
a  stronger  tide. 

Baptists  make  no  pretence  of  establishing,  by 
documentary  evidence,  an  unbroken  succession  of 
churches  in  form  and  name,  as  now  existing,  ex- 
tending back  to  apostolic  times.  Such  a  claim  would 
only  make  them  ridiculous,  as  similar  High-Church 
pretensions  have  made  some  other  communions. 
Such  a  claim  would  be  as  impossible  to  prove  as  it 


BAPTIST    HISTORY.  495 

would  be  useless  if  proven.  The  old  is  not  always 
true  or  useful,  nor  the  new  false  or  useless  necessa- 
rily. Falsehood  and  error  are  hoary  with  age,  from 
Eden  until  now.  Nevertheless,  there  is  a  survival  of 
truth  often  hidden  under  the  accumulated  rubbish 
of  human  tradition,  itself  ages  old;  and  he  is  wise 
who  searches  for  truth  as  for  hid  treasures.  Bap- 
tists trace  their  lineage,  not  through  corporate  desig- 
nations, or  forms  of  organic  life,  but  by  principles 
avowed,  maintained  and  defended.  The  doctrines 
they  professed,  and  the  lives  they  lived,  give  us  title 
to  the  inheritance  we  claim  in  their  history. 

THE   EARLY   SECTS. 

It  is  on  all  hands  conceded  that  from  the  days  of 
the  Apostles  to  the  Reformation  there  existed  con- 
gregations and  communities  of  Christians  separate 
from  the  prevailing  and  dominant  churches,  claim- 
ing to  be  of  a  more  primitive,  and  therefore  of  a 
purer,  faith.  As  these  dominant  churches  fell  into 
alliance  with  the  State,  sought  its  patronage,  became 
subservient  to  its  spirit,  proud,  corrupt  and  carnal, 
departing  from  the  simplicity  and  spirituality  of 
the  Gospel,  these  separate  communities  maintained 
their  distinct  existence,  worshiped  by  themselves, 
and  served  God  according  to  their  understanding 
of  the  Scriptures  and  the  dictates  of  their  consciences. 
They  maintained  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel  nearly 
in  their  purity,  as  they  were  at  first  delivered  to  the 
saints,  and  were  the  true  and  faithful  followers  of 


49^  THE    NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Christ  in  the  midst  of  prevailing  spiritual  darkness 
and  decay.  Even  in  the  apostolic  age  not  a  few 
errors  from  prevailing  philosophies  had  crept  into 
the  profession  of  the  Christian  faith,  but  after  that 
faith  had  been  adopted  by  princes  and  became  na- 
tionalized, its  corruptions  became  more  numerous 
and  its  perversions  more  glaring.  All  the  more  did 
these  dissenting  communities  need  to  maintain  their 
distinctive  existence,  not  only  for  conscience'  sake, 
but  as  a  protest  against  the  outrages  perpetrated  on 
the  cause  of  Christ  by  others. 

During  all  the  dark  ages  since  the  kingdom 
of  Christ  appeared,  these  companies  and  communi- 
ties have  confessedly  existed.  They  have  been 
known  by  many  names,  and  have  differed  somewhat 
among  themselves  in  different  ages  and  in  different 
countries.  By  the  prevailing  and  dominant  secu- 
larized churches  they  were  stigmatized  as  heretics^ 
and  were  defamed  and  persecuted  perpetually,  not 
by  pagans  and  barbarians,  but  by  their  professed 
fellow-Christians.  Those  are  usually  the  heretics 
who  differ  from  the  majority,  and  have  conscience 
and  courage  enough  to  defend  their  position,  and, 
if  need  be,  suffer  for  their  faith.  Thousands  on 
thousands  of  those  dissenting  disciples  were  put  to 
death  by  the  most  painful  tortures  for  no  other  crime 
than  a  purer  faith  than  their  persecutors  possessed, 
and  because  they  would  hold,  profess  and  defend 
that  purer  faith.  Those  who  were  permitted  to  live 
were  doomed  to  endure  unequaled  cruelties.  Em- 
perors, kings  and  princes,  popes,  priests  and  people, 


BAPTIST    HISTORY.  497 

Senates,  Synods  and  Councils,  pursued  them  with 
every  device  of  cruelty  which  malice  could  invent 
or  power  execute,  to  waste,  blot  out  and  exterminate 
them  from  the  face  of  the  earth.  Language  is  too 
weak  to  portray  the  diabolical  and  fiendish  cruelties 
perpetrated  upon  the  innocent,  helpless  and,  for  the 
most  part,  unresisting  people  of  God  by  those  who 
were  able  to  invoke  the  secular  power  to  execute 
their  fell  designs. 

They  were  the  few  among  the  many,  the  weak 
oppressed  by  the  strong;  with  none  to  plead  their 
cause,  or  to  defend  their  rights,  they  could  do  noth- 
ing but  suffer.  Though  calumniated  by  their  ene- 
mies, who  accused  them  of  every  crime,  and  charged 
them  with  every  enormity,  they  were  the  purest  and 
the  best  of  the  ages  and  the  countries  in  which  they 
lived.  The  doctrines  and  ordinances  of  the  Gospel 
they  maintained  nearly,  if  not  quite,  in  their  prim- 
itive purity.  The  greater  part  had  never  been  con- 
nected with  the  Roman  hierarchy,  while  many  who 
had,  separated  themselves  from  the  false,  that  they 
might  enjoy  the  true   Church  of  Christ. 

Like  some  rivulet  which  pursues  its  way  parallel 
to,  but  never  mingling  with,  the  broad  and  turbid 
stream,  these  people  have  come  down  from  the  first 
ages  of  Christianity,  preserving  and  transmitting  to 
posterity  the  purest  forms  of  doctrinal  faith  and 
practical  godliness  known  to  history  during  those 
long  succeeding  ages  of  darkness  and  corruption. 
The  reproaches  and  persecutions  they  suffered  were 
because  they  bore  witness  against  prevailing  errors 
32 


498  THE  NEW   DIRECTORY. 

and  crimes,  perpetrated  in  the  name  of  religion  by  the 
papal  Church.  No  doubt  they  had  some  faults,  and, 
perhaps,  held  some  errors.  How  could  it  well  be  oth- 
erwise, surrounded,  as  they  were,  by  an  atmosphere 
of  ecclesiastical  falsehood  and  corruption  ? 

During  the  Jirs^  and  second  centuries,  Messalians, 
Euchites,  Montanists,  were  the  names  by  which 
some  of  these  sects  were  known. 

In  the  thirdy  fourth  and  fifth  centuries,  the  No- 
vatians  arose  and  became  exceedingly  numerous, 
spreading  throughout  the  Roman  Empire,  notwith- 
standing the  destruction  wrought  among  them  by 
persecution. 

In  the  seventh  and  eighth  centuries  arose  the 
Paulicians,  attracting  much  attention,  becoming 
very  numerous,  and  drawing  upon  themselves  the 
hatred  and  hostility  of  the  papal  Church.* 

Jones  states  that  in  the  first  part  of  the  ninth  cen- 
tury^ Claude,  bishop  of  Turin,  a  truly  godly  and 
evangelical  man,  who  preached  righteousness,  and 
opposed  prevailing  corruptions,  both  as  to  doctrines 
and  morals  : 

"  By  his  preaching,  and  by  his  valuable  writings,  he  dis- 
seminated the  doctrines  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  "  His 
doctrine  grew  exceedingly.  The  valleys  of  Piedmont  were 
filled  with  his  disciples,  and  while  midnight  darkness  sat  en- 
throned over  almost  every  portion  of  the  globe,  the  Wal- 

*  See  Benedict's,  Orchard's,  Robinson's,  Jones's,  et  al.,  Histo- 
ries, with  all  current  Eccl.  Hists.  of  the  early  ages  of  Chris- 
tianity. 


BAPTIST    HISTORY.  499 

denses  preserved  the  Gospel  among  them  in  its  native  purity, 
and  rejoiced  in  its  glorious  light."— Jones's  Ch.  Hist.,  Voi.  I., 
p.  sg6;  Rob.  Eccl.  Research.,  p.  447  :  Allix.  Rem.,  p.  ^2. 

If  not  technically  Baptists,  the  principal  points  in 
which  they  differed  from  the  dominant  churches,  and 
for  vi^hich  they  were  persecuted,  were  those  which 
Baptists  have  always  emphasized,  and  in  respect  to 
which  they  still  chiefly  differ  from  other  Christian 
communions.  They  held  that  none  but  regenerate 
persons  ought  to  be  received  to  membership  in  the 
churches;  they  rejected  infant  baptism;  they  bap- 
tized by  immersion,  as  did  all  Christians  during 
those  ages  ;  they  rebaptized  converts  received 
among  them  from  the  Romish  Church,  and  hence 
were  called  Anabaptists.  These  are  distinguishing 
marks  of  them  all,  more  or  less  clearly  defined,  as 
noted  by  their  enemies,  from  whom  we  receive  the 
greater  part  of  our  knowledge  concerning  them, 
their  own  writings  having  largely  perished  in  the 
sore  and  bloody  persecutions  to  which  they  were 
subjected.  Robinson,  the  historian,  called  them 
"  Trinitarian  Baptists." 

The  Paulicians  became  exceedingly  numerous, 
and  were  so  cruelly  persecuted  that  the  Empress 
Theodora  is  said  to  have  caused  not  less  than  otie 
htindred  thousand  of  these  peaceable  subjects  to  be 
put  to  death,  after  having  confiscated  their  prop- 
erty.* They  confined  the  ordinances  to  the  regen- 
erate, rejected  infant  baptism,  and  rebaptized  con- 

*See  Orchard,  Milner,  Gibbon,  et  aL 


500  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

verts  received  to  their  fellowship.  They  were  also 
called  Bogomilians,  a  name  which  became  famous 
in  the  annals  of  persecution.  These  communities 
continued  through  several  succeeding  centuries,  and 
spread  through  both  the  East  and  the  West. 

Near  the  close  of  the  tenth  century,  the  Peterines 
come  into  notice.  They  were  substantially  the 
same  people  as  had  previously  existed  under  other 
names.  Indeed,  these  various  sects  were  the  pro- 
genitors and  the  inheritors  of  each  other's  religious 
faith  and  practice.  It  was  the  irrepressible  energy  of 
truth  and  the  spirit  of  God,  working  in  regenerate 
souls  to  develop  and  reproduce  the  true  Christian 
life,  in  the  simplicity  of  Christ,  according  to  the 
primitive  type.  Not  only  the  individual,  but  the 
Church  life  of  the  saints.  Europe  was  well-nigh 
flooded  with  these  dissentients.  The  truly  devout 
welcomed  them,  since  they  yearned  for  something 
better  than  the  prevailing  heartless  and  secular- 
ized religion.  And  the  prevailing  and  shameless 
corruptions  of  the  Romish  clergy  gave  those  of 
purer  lives  great  currency  with  the  masses.  For 
there  were  no  vices,  however  gross  and  degrading, 
which  the  clergy,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest, 
from  pope  to  priest,  did  not  practise  with  greediness 
and  impunity.  They  were  examples  to  the  people 
in  all  kinds  of  sin  and  iniquity. 

In  the  eleventh  and  following  centuries,  the  Wal- 
denses,  Albigenses,  Vaudois,  Cathari,  poor  men  of 
Lyons,  and  Anabaptists,  attracted  renewed  at- 
tention through  Europe,  and  for  generations  con- 


BAPTIST    HISTORY.  50I 

tinued  to  increase  and  to  suffer.  They  differed 
slightly  among  themselves,  but  were  variously 
named  according  to  their  locations,  or  the  circum- 
stances in  which  they  attracted  the  notice  of  the 
public.  Their  prevailing  characteristics  were  the 
same  as  have  been  noticed  above.  They  filled 
Italy  even,  the  very  seat  and  centre  of  papal  power, 
corruption  and  crime,  with  their  influence  and  the 
truths  they  held. 

In  the  twelfth  century,  so  great  became  their  in- 
fluence, especially  under  the  leadership  of  Arnold 
of  Brescia,  a  pupil  of  the  renowned  Abelard,  that 
the  papal  throne  itself  trembled  to  its  foundation. 
Arnold  was  as  brave  a  reformer  as  was  Luther  four 
hundred  years  later,  and  perhaps  as  learned.  But 
the  times  were  not  ripe  for  such  a  work  as  the  Ger- 
man reformer  was  raised  up  to  lead.  Arnold,  how- 
ever, dared  to  visit  Rome  itself,  and  by  his  attacks 
on  the  vices  and  the  unjust  authority  of  the  clergy 
raised  a  revolt  in  the  very  face  of  the  Vatican,  which 
finally  compelled  the  pope  to  flee,  and  changed  the 
government  for  a  season.  But  he  had  no  powerful 
nobles  to  espouse  his  cause,  as  had  Luther,  and  the 
people  were  unorganized  and  unreliable;  while  the 
the  influence  of  the  clergy,  with  all  their  vices,  was 
still  most  potent.  Wise  and  powerful  leaders  were 
needed  for  a  reformation.  The  people  could  endure 
better  than  contend.  This  lesson  they  had  learned 
through  generations  of  suffering.  But  the  time  had 
not  come  for  truth  to  triumph.  A  reaction  set  in, 
and  Arnold,  like  Savonarola  three   hundred   years 


502  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

later,  whose  early  history  was  also  associated  with 
Brescia,  fell  a  victim  to  the  hatred  of  his  foes,  and 
his  immediate  followers  were  scattered."^  But  their 
principles  survived,  as  did  countless  numbers  of  the 
various  communities  of  dissentients  from  the  domi- 
nant communions. 

Waddington,  the  historian,  gives  the  following 
statement,  made  by  Saccho,  one  of  their  adversaries 
and  persecutors,  as  to  the  Vaudois,  or  Leonists,  of 
the  twelfth  century: 

"  There  is  no  sect  so  dangerous  as  the  Leonists,  for  three 
reasons:  First,  it  is  the  most  ancient — some  say  as  old  as 
Sylvester,  others  as  the  Apostles  themselves.  Secondly,  it  is 
very  generally  disseminated;  there  is  no  country  where  it  has 
not  gained  some  footing.  Thirdly,  while  other  sects  are  pro- 
fane and  blasphemous,  this  retains  the  utmost  show  of  piety. 
They  live  justly  before  men,  and  believe  nothing  respecting 
God  which  is  not  good.  Only  they  blaspheme  against  the 
Roman  Church  and  the  clergy,  and  thus  gain  many  follow- 
ers."—  Waddington,  Ch.  Hist.,  p.  2go.  See  Mosheim,  12th 
Cent. 

Orchard  says  of  the  Piedmontese: 

"  Though  we  have  no  documents  proving  the  apostolical 
foundation  for  these  churches,  yet  it  becomes  evident  that 
some  communities  did  exist  here  in  the  second  century,  since 
it  is  recorded  they  practiced  believers'  baptism  by  immersion." 
— Hist.  Bap.,  p.  2^^,  See  also  Rollinson,  Allix,  et  al..  Hist. 
Pied.;    Walts  Hist.  Inf.  Bap. 

From  the  time  of  the  Apostles  to  the  Reformation 
these  various  sectaries  may  be  said  to  have  consti- 
*  See  Gibbon's  Decl.  and  Fall,  Mosheim,  Allix,  Jones,  et  al. 


BAPTIST    HISTORY.  503 

tuted  the  true  Church  of  God.  Their  faith  was  the 
most  scriptural,  and  their  lives  were  the  purest  the 
world  had.  Of  course  they  were  not  perfect.  How 
could  they  be  with  such  environments  .^^  And  if  at 
times  they  did  not  wholly  agree  among  themselves, 
what  marvel  in  age  of  doubt,  corruption  and  unrest, 
when  the  truest  were  the  most  reviled,  and  the 
purest  were  the  most  persecuted  ?  In  the  sixteenth 
century  they  came  into  public  notice,  largely  under 
the  leadership  of  Menno  Simons,  whom  the  historian 
calls,  **  a  reformer  whose  apostolic  spirit  and  labors 
have  thus  far  failed  to  receive  the  recognition  they 
deserve."  From  him  they  were  called  Mennonites, 
and  flooded  Europe  with  tens  of  thousands.  **  Men- 
nonites, the  Anabaptists  of  the  Netherlands  first 
called  themselves  in  1536."  **  They  were  certainly 
among  the  most  pious  Christians  the  world  ever 
saw,  and  the  worthiest  citizens  the  State  ever  had." 
They  crowded  into  Russia  for  shelter,  where  in  our 
times  they  have  been  persecuted  and  exiled.  At 
length  they  have  fled  to  our  own  country  for  peace 
and  freedom  which  they  found  nowhere  else  for  the 
past  four  hundred  years. 

At  the  time  of  the  Lutheran  Reformation  these 
various  sects  to  a  large  extent  fraternized  with,  and 
were  lost  in,  the  multitudes  of  the  reformers.  So 
glad  were  they  to  find  something,  if  not  wholly  to 
their  wish,  yet  so  much  better  than  had  previously 
existed  in  the  papal  churches,  and  to  find  leaders  of 
power,  as  also  to  find  some  shelter  from  civil  and 
ecclesiastical  persecution,  that  they  welcomed  the 


504  THE    NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Reformation,  even  with  its  imperfections,  as  a  boon 
from  heaven.  The  Waldenses  of  Piedmont,  and 
some  others,  abandoned  dipping  for  baptism, 
adopted  infant  sprinkling,  in  common  with  State 
churches,  and  the  Calvinistic  reformers  generally 
identified  themselves  with,  and  were  largely  lost  in, 
the  mass  of  Protestant  Pedobaptists.  Not  so  how- 
ever with  the  Baptists,  or  Anabaptists,  as  by  their 
opponents  they  were  more  generally  called.  They 
maintained  their  faith  and  their  position,  not  only 
against  their  papal  adversaries,  but  against  their 
Protestant  friends  as  well,  whose  reformation  they 
insisted  needed  still  further  reforming. 

These  various  protesting  peoples  through  the 
generations  had  at  times  been  joined  by  enthusiasts 
and  fanatics,  or  such  had  sprung  up  within  their 
fellowship,  like  the  "  mad  men  of  Miinster,"  whose 
extravagances  brought  upon  the  entire  brotherhood 
reproaches  they  did  not  merit — their  adversaries 
being  ever  ready  to  find  occasion  against  them,  and 
to  magnify  every  fault  and  indiscretion  to  the  larg- 
est possible  extent.  But  they  were,  on  the  whole, 
so  much  superior  in  faith  and  life  to  the  dominant 
churches  as  to  command  the  wonder  and  admiration 
of  those,  who  in  a  spirit  of  fairness,  now  study  the 
imperfect  fragments  of  their  history.  They  all 
more  or  less  strongly  pronounced  the  following 
statements  of  their  religious  beliefs:  i.  The  Bible 
as  the  only  and  sufficient  standard  of  faith  and  ap- 
peal in  matters  of  religion.  2.  Entire  liberty  of  con- 
science, confession    and  worship  for  all.     3.  Com- 


BAPTIST    HISTORY.  505 

plete  separation  of  Church  and  State,  the  Church 
acknowledging  but  one  Lord,  even  Christ.  4.  The 
churches  to  be  constituted  of  spiritual  members 
only,  such  as  were  regenerate  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 
5.  Baptism  to  be  administered  by  immersion,  6. 
Infant  baptism  to  be  rejected,  as  alien  to  the  New 
Testament.  7.  The  churches  to  be  self-governing, 
and  free  from  the  domination  of  both  lords  spiritual 
and  lords  temporal. 

Such  facts  identify  them  with  Baptists  of  later 
ages,  what  no  other  denomination  can  claim. 

II.      THE   SWISS   BAPTISTS. 

The  secluded  valleys  and  mountain  fastnesses  of 
Switzerland  and  Piedmont  have  from  the  earliest 
ages  been  the  home  and  refuge  of  the  persecuted 
people  of  God.  Not  only  those  native  to  the  soil, 
but  such  as  had  fled  from  other  countries  to  find 
shelter  and  freedom  in  those  Alpine  retreats.  Pauli- 
cians,  Albigenses,  Vaudois,  Pickards,  Anabaptists, 
with  many  others,  are  names  bound  up  in  history 
with  these  wild  mountain  resorts.  **  The  Vaudois 
and  Waldenses,"  says  a  historian,  "have  from  time 
immemorial  inhabited  the  vales  at  the  foot  of  the 
Cottian  Alps." 

ZwiNGLi,  the  Swiss  reformer  and  co-laborer  with 
Luther,  says: 

"The  institution  of  Anabaptism  is  no  novelty, but  iov thirteen 
hundred  years  has  caused  great  disturbance  in  the  Church."  ♦ 

*See  Intro.  Orchard,  p.  17;  also  Benedict  et  aL^  Ch.  Hittt. 


506  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

If  it  had  existed  thirteen  hundred  years  before 
Zwingli,  it  must  have  extended  back  to  within  two 
centuries  of  Christ,  to  say  the  least.  And  it  is  con- 
fidently affirmed  that  it  can  be  traced  as  far  back  as 
to  the  fourth  century.  They  too,  in  common  with 
their  brethren  of  similar  faith,  suffered  persecution 
unto  death,  against  which  the  strongholds  of  nature, 
in  the  midst  of  which  they  dwelt,  could  not  wholly 
protect  them.*  The  horrid  massacre  of  these  in- 
nocent people  by  the  Duke  of  Savoy,  about  the  mid- 
dle of  the  seventeenth  century ^  equaled  the  dreadful 
scenes  of  St.  Bartholomew's  day,  and  was  protested 
against  by  Cromwell,  then  in  power. 

III.      THE   WELSH   BAPTISTS. 

Few  denominations  have  better  claim  to  antiquity 
than  have  the  Welsh  Baptists.  They  trace  their 
descent  directly  from  the  Apostles,  and  urge  in 
favor  of  their  claim  arguments  which  never  have 
been  confuted. 

When  Austin,  the  Romish  monk  and  missionary, 
visited  Wales  at  the  close  of  the  sixth  century,  he 
found  a  community  of  more  than  2,000  Christians 
quietly  living  in  their  mountain  homes.  They  were 
independent  of  the  Roman  See,  and  wholly  rejected 
its  authority.  Austin  labored  zealously  to  convert 
them — that  is,  to  bring  them  under  the  papal  yoke 
— but  entirely  failed  in  the  effort.     Yielding  things 

*See  Robinson,  Allix,  Danvers;  especially  Burrage  an4 
Schaff. 


BAPTIST    HISTORY.  507 

in  general,  he  reduced  his  demands  upon  them  to 
three  particulars:  i.  That  they  should  observe 
Easter  in  due  form,  as  ordered  by  the  Church.  2. 
That  they  should  give  Christening  or  baptism  to 
their  children.  3.  That  they  should  preach  the 
Word  of  God  to  the  English,  as  directed.  This  de- 
mand proves  that  they  neither  observed  the  popish 
ordinance  of  Easter,  nor  baptized  infants.  They, 
•however,  rejected  all  his  overtures,  whereupon  he 
left  them  with  many  threats  of  war  and  wretched- 
ness. Not  long  after  Wales  was  invaded  by  the 
Saxons,  and  many  of  these  inoffensive  Christians 
cruelly  put  to  death,  as  was  believed,  at  the  instiga- 
tion of  this  bigoted  zealot,  the  exacting  and  heart- 
less Austin."'^ 

IV.      THE   DUTCH    BAPTISTS. 

The  Baptists  of  Holland  are  acknowledged  by 
historians  to  have  had  their  origin  at  a  very  remote 
period. 

MOSHEIM,  the  historian,  says  : 

"  The  true  origin  of  that  sect  which  acquired  the  name 
of  Anabaptists,  is  hid  in  the  remote  depth  of  antiquity,  and 
consequently  extremely  difficult  to  be  ascertained." — Ecd. 
Hist.,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  427,  Murd.  ed.;  Introd.  Orchard's  Hist. 

Dr.  Dermont,  chaplain  to  the  king  of  Holland, 
and  Dr.  Ypeij,  professor  of  theology  at  Graningen, 
a  few  years  since  received  a  royal  commission  to 

♦See  Ncal's  Hist.  Puritans;  Rob.  Hist.  Bap.;   Benedict. 


508  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

prepare  a  history  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church. 
This  history,  prepared  under  royal  sanction,  and 
officially  published,  contains  the  following  manly 
and  generous  testimony  to  the  antiquity  and  ortho- 
doxy of  the  Dutch  Baptists  : 

* '  We  have  now  seen  that  the  Baptists,  who  were  formerly 
called  Anabaptists,  and  in  later  times  Mennonites,  were  the 
original  Waldenses,  and  have  long  in  the  history  of  the 
Church  received  the  honor  of  that  origin.  On  this  account, 
the  Baptists  may  be  considered  the  only  Christian  community 
which  has  stood  since  the  Apostles,  and  as  a  Christian  society 
which  has  preserved  pure  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel  throidgh 
all  ages" — Hist,  Ref.  Dutch  Ch.,  Breda,  iSig.  See  Hist,  Men- 
nonites, 

MOSHEIM  says  of  the  persecutions  of  this  people 
in  the  sixteenth  century  : 

"Vast  numbers  of  these  people,  in  nearly  all  the  countries 
of  Europe,  would  rather  perish  miserably  by  drowning,  hang- 
ing, burning,  or  decapitation,  than  renounce  the  opinions 
they  had  embraced."  And  their  innocency  he  vindicates 
thus:  "It  is  indeed  true  that  many  Anabaptists  were  put  to 
death,  not  as  being  bad  citizens,  or  injurious  members  of 
civil  society,  but  as  being  incurable  heretics,  who  were  con- 
demned by  the  old  canon  laws.  For  the  error  of  adult  bap- 
tism was  in  that  age  looked  upon  as  a  horrible  offense." 
That  was  their  only  crime. — Eccl.  Hist.,  Cent.  i6,  sec.  j,  part 
II.,  ch.  j;  Fullers  Ch.  Hist.,  B.  IV. 

This  testimony  is  all  the  more  welcome,  because 
it  comes  from  those  who  have  no  ecclesiastical  sym- 
pathies with  Baptists,  but  who,  in  fidelity  to  history, 
bear  honest   testimony  to  the  truth  which  history 


Baptist  history.  509 

teaches.     The  circumstances  under  which  their  evi- 
dence was  produced  give  it  additional  force. 

Cardinal  Hossius,  chairman  of  the  Council  at 
Trent  says  : 

"If  the  truth  of  religion  were  to  be  judged  of  by  the 
readiness  and  cheerfulness  which  a  man  of  any  sect  shows  in 
suffering,  then  the  opinions  and  persuasions  of  no  sect  can 
be  truer  or  surer  than  those  of  the  Anabaptists ;  since  there 
have  been  none,  for  these  twelve  hundred  years  past,  that 
have  been  more  grievously  punished." — OrcharcTs Hist,  Bap., 
sec.  12,  part  XXX.,  p.  J64. 

Many  thousands  of  the  Dutch  Baptists,  called 
Anabaptists  and  Mennonites,  miserably  perished 
by  the  hands  of  their  cruel  persecutors  for  no  crime 
but  their  refusal  to  conform  to  established  churches."* 

V.      THE   ENGLISH   BAPTISTS. 

At  what  time  the  Baptists  appeared  in  England 
in  definite  denominational  form,  it  is  impossible  to 
say. .  But  from  the  twelfth  to  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury, many  of  them  suffered  cruel  persecutions,  and 
death  by  burning,  drowning,  and  beheading,  besides 
many  other  and  sometimes  most  inhuman  tortures. 
And  this  they  suffered  both  from  Papists  and  Prot- 
estants, condemned  by  both  civil  and  ecclesiastical 
tribunals,  only  because  they  persisted  in  worshiping 
God  according  to  the  dictates  of  their  consciences, 
and  because  they  would  not  submit  their  religious 

*  Benedict's  Hist.  Baptists,  ch.  4  ;  Neal's  Hist.  Puritani, 
Vol.  II.,  p.  355,  Supplement;  Fuller's  Ch.  Hist.,  B.  IV. 


5 10  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

faith  and  worship  to  the  dictates  of  popes  and 
princes.*  In  1538  royal  edicts  were  issued  against 
them,  and  several  were  burnt  at  the  stake  in  Smith- 
field. 

Brande  writes  that : 

"In  the  year  1538,  thirty-one  Baptists,  that  fled  from 
England,  were  put  to  death  at  Delft,  in  Holland;  the  men 
were  beheaded,  and  the  women  were  drowned." — Hist.  Re- 
formers. See  Benedict's  Hist.  Bap.,  p.  joj;  Neat's  Hist. 
Puritans,  Vol.  I.,  p.  ij8;  Note  Vol.  IL,  p.  353,  Sup.  What 
crime  had  they  committed  to  merit  such  treatment  as  this? 

Bishop  Latimer  declares  that: 

"The  Baptists  that  were  burnt  in  different  parts  of  the 
kingdom  went  to  death  intrepidly,  and  without  any  fear, 
during  the  time  of  Henry  Vlll." — Lent.  Sertnons;  Neat's 
Hist.  Pur  it..   Vol.  II.,  p.  336. 

Under  the  rule  of  the  popish  Mary,  they  suffered 
perhaps  no  more  than  under  that  of  the  Protestant 
Elizabeth.  During  the  reign  of  the  latter  a  congre- 
gation of  Baptists  was  discovered  in  London,  where- 
upon several  were  banished,  twenty-seven  impris- 
oned, and  two  burnt  at  Smithfield.  t 

Dr.  Featley,  one  of  their  bitter  enemies,  wrote 
of  them,  in  1633  : 

"This  sect,  among  others,  hath  so  far  presumed  upon  the 
patience  of  the  State,  that  it  hath  held  weekly  conventicles, 

*See  Histories  of  Baptists,  by  Crosby,  Ivimey,  Danvers,  and 
Benedict. 

f  Wall,  cited  by  Neal,  Hist.  Puritans,  Vol.  I.,  p.  137;  Vol.  II., 
p.  358,  Supplement. 


BAPTIST    HISTORY.  51I 

rebaptizing  hundreds  of  men  and  women  together  in  the 
twilight,  in  rivulets,  and  in  some  arms  of  the  Thames,  and 
elsewhere,  dipping  them  all  over  head  and  ears.  It  hath 
printed  divers  pamphlets  in  defense  of  their  heresy;  yea.  and 
challenged  some  of  our  preachers  to  disputation."— £';5^. 
Bap.  Jubilee  Memor.,  Benedict's  Hist.  Bap.,  p.  J04. 

Bailey  wrote,  in  1639,  that : 

"  Under  the  shadow  of  independency  they  have  lifted  up 
their  heads,  and  increased  their  numbers  above  all  sects  in 
the  land.  They  h.2i\t,  forty-six  churches  in  and  about  Lon- 
don. They  are  a  people  very  fond  of  religious  liberty,  and 
very  unwilling  to  be  brought  under  bondage  of  the  judgment 
of  others." — Benedict's  Hist.,  p.  J04. 

The  first  book  published  in  the  English  language 
on  the  subject  of  baptism  was  translated  from  the 
Dutch,  and  bears  date  1618.  From  this  time  they 
multiplied  rapidly  through  all  parts  of  the  kingdom. 
The  first  regularly  organized  Church  among  them, 
known  as  such  in  England,  dates  from  1607,  and 
was  formed  in  London  by  a  Mr.  Smyth,  previously 
a  clergyman  of  the  established  Church. 

In  1689  the  Particular  Baptists,  so  called,  held  a 
convention  in  London,  in  which  more  than  one 
hundred  congregations  were  represented,  and  which 
issued  a  Confession  of  Faith,  still  in  use  and  highly 
esteemed. 

The  last  Baptist  martyr  in  England  was  Edward 
Wightman,  of  Burton  upon  Trent,  condemned  by 
the  Bishop  of  Coventry,  and  burnt  at  Litchfield, 
April  II,  1612.  * 

*Eng.  Bap.  Jubilee  Memor.,  Benedict's  Hist.  Bap. 


512  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

VI.      AMERICAN   BAPTISTS. 

The  history  of  American  Baptists  runs  back  a 
little  more  than  two  and  a  quarter  centuries.  In 
this  country,  as  elsewhere,  they  were  cradled  amid 
persecution,  and  nurtured  by  the  hatred  of  their 
foes.  This  has  been  their  fortune  in  every  age  and 
in  every  land. 

Roger  Williams,  a  distinguished  and  an  hon- 
ored name,  was  identified  with  the  rise  of  the  de- 
nomination in  America.  He  has  been  called  their 
founder,  because  he  organized  the  first  Church,  and 
was  intimately  connected  with  their  early  history. 
Williams  was  born  in  Wales,  1598,  educated  at  Ox- 
ford, England,  came  to  America  in  1630,  and  settled 
as  minister  of  the  Puritan  Church  in  Salem,  Mas- 
sachusetts. Not  long  after  he  adopted  Baptist  views 
of  doctrine  and  Church  order,  on  account  of  which 
he  was  banished  by  his  fellow  Puritans,  and  driven 
out  of  Massachusetts,  in  the  depth  of  a  rigorous 
winter,  in  a  new  and  inhospitable  country.  Having 
wandered  far  and  suffered  much,  finding  the  savage 
Indians  more  generous  and  hospitable  than  his  fel- 
low Christians,  he  finally  reached  and  fixed  his 
future  home  at  what  is  now  Providence,  R.  I.  Here, 
with  a  few  associates  of  like  faith,  he  founded  a  new 
colony,  calling  both  the  city  and  the  colony  Provi- 
dencey  in  recognition  of  the  divine  guidance  and  pro- 
tection, which  he  had  in  so  remarkable  a  manner 
experienced. 

In  1639  Mr.  Williams  received  baptism  from  one 


BAPTIST    HISTORY.  513 

of  his  associates,  there  being  no  minister  to  perform 
that  service.  He  in  turn  baptized  his  associates, 
and  a  Church  was  organized,  of  which  he  was  chosen 
pastor.  He  was  also  appointed  first  governor  of 
Rhode  Island.  Full  liberty  was  granted  in  matters 
of  religion.  Thus  Roger  Williams  became  the  first 
ruler,  and  Rhode  Island  the  first  State  which  ever 
gave  entire  freedom  to  all  persons  to  worship  God, 
according  to  their  own  choice,  without  dictation 
or  interference  from  civil  or  ecclesiastical  author- 
ities. 

On  account  of  this  unrestricted  liberty  many  Bap- 
tists, as  well  as  other  persecuted  religionists  from 
other  colonies,  and  from  Europe,  collected  in  con- 
siderable numbers  at  Providence,  and  spread  through 
the  colony. 

It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  all  the  Baptist 
churches  in  America  grew  out  of  the  one  which 
Roger  Williams  founded.  It  is  even  doubtful 
whether  any  single  Church  arose  as  an  outgrowth 
of  that.  As  immigration  increased,  other  churches 
grew  up,  having  no  connection  with  that ;  and  with 
considerable  rapidity  the  sentiments  of  Baptists 
spread  into  adjoining  colonies,  particularly  west 
and  south.  For  a  long  time,  however,  they  were 
sorely  persecuted,  especially  in  Massachusetts  and 
Connecticut.  Persecuted  even  by  those  who  had 
themselves  fled  from  persecution  in  their  native 
land,  to  find  freedom  and  refuge  in  these  distant 
wilds. 

In  1644  the  present  First  Church  in  Newport, 
33 


514  l^HE    NEW   DIRECTORY. 

R.  I.,  was  organized.  But  whether  the  present 
First  Church  in  Providence  was  constituted  before 
this  date  is  still  a  disputed  point.  Both  claim  prior- 
ity. In  1656  the  Second  Church,  Newport,  was 
formed.  Then  followed,  in  order  of  time,  the  Church 
in  Swansea,  Massachusetts,  1663 ;  First,  Boston, 
1665  ;  North  Kingstone,  R.  I.,  1665  ;  Seventh-Day 
Church,  Newport,  167 1  ;  South  Kingstone,  R.  I., 
1680;  Kittery,  Me.,  1682;  Middletown,  N.  J.,  1688; 
Lower  Dublin,  Pa.,  1689;  Charleston,  S.  C,  1690; 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  1698;  Welsh  Tract,  Del.,  1701  ; 
Groton,  Conn.,  1705.  Others,  not  mentioned,  arose 
within  this  period  in  these  and  other  colonies. 
With  the  increase  of  population  Baptists  rapidly 
multiplied,  and  spread  widely  abroad  over  the 
country. 

VII.      BAPTIST   FACTS  AND   FIGURES. 

For  the  first  hundred  years  of  Baptist  history  in 
America  their  growth  was  slow.  The  population 
was  small  and  scattered.  They  were  still  dissen- 
tients from  the  majority  of  their  fellow  Christians, 
by  whom  they  were  defamed,  opposed,  and  perse- 
cuted. Though,  in  this  country,  none  were  burned, 
hanged,  or  drowned,  because  of  their  faith,  yet  in 
New  England  they  were  banished,  fined,  imprisoned, 
and  publicly  whipped  at  the  stake,  because  they  in- 
sisted on  religious  liberty,  and  would  not  submit  to 
the  magistrates  in  matters  of  faith  and  conscience. 
In  the  then  condition  of  the  country  they  lacked  in 


BAPTIST    HISTORY.  515 

organization,  intercourse,  and  mutual  help.  The 
first  Baptist  Church  known  to  American  history  was 
organized  by  Roger  Williams  in  Providence,  R.  I., 
in  1639. 

Edwards^  Tables  gives  the  number  of  churches  in 
1768,  more  than  a  hundred  years  afterward,  as  one 
hundred  and  thirty-seven. 

Asplund's  Register  reported  for  1790,  872 
churches,  722  ordained  ministers,  and  64,975  Church 
members. 

Benedict's  History  states  that  in  18 12  there  were 
2,633  churches,  2,143  ordained  ministers,  and  204,- 
185  members. 

Aliens*  Register,  for  1836,  enrolls  7,299  churches, 
4,075  ministers,  and  517,523  Church  members. 

The  Baptist  Almanack,  for  1840,  gives  the  follow- 
ing figures:  7,771  churches,  5,208  ministers,  and 
571,291  members. 

The  Baptist  Year  Book,  for  i860,  reports  the  fol- 
lowing numbers,  12,279  churches,  7,773  ministers, 
and  1,016, 134  members. 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind,  however,  that  the  fig- 
ures given  are  always  less  than  the  facts  would  war- 
rant, since  complete  returns  can  never  be  obtained 
from  Churches  and  Associations. 

From  the  various  sources  of  information  acces- 
sible, the  following  table  of  statistics  is  compiled,  and 
is  doubtless  approximately  correct ;  though,  as  to 
the  earlier  dates  the  figures  differ  somewhat,  ac- 
cording to  the  sources  from  which  they  are  de- 
rived. 


5l6  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 


Date. 

Churches. 

Ministers. 

Members. 

1768 

137 

1784 

472 

424 

35.101 

1790 

872 

722 

65,000 

1792 

891 

1,156 

65.345 

1812 

2,164 

1,605 

173,200 

1825 

3>743 

2,577 

237.895 

1832 

5.320 

3,618 

384,926 

1840 

7.771 

5,208 

571,291 

1842 

8,546 

5,600 

649,138 

1851 

9.552 

7.393 

770.839 

i860 

12,279 

7.773 

1,016,134 

1871 

18.397 

12,013 

1,489.191 

1877 

23.908 

14,659 

2,024,224 

1880 

26,060 

16,569 

2.296,327 

1882 

26,931 

17.090 

2,394,742 

1884 

28,596 

18,677 

2,507,703 

1886 

30,522 

19.377 

2,732.570 

1888 

31,891 

20,477 

2,917.315 

1890 

34.780 

22,706 

3,164,124 

1892 

35.890 

23,800 

3,269,806 

1893 

36,793 

24.798 

3,383.160 

1894 

38,122 

25.354 

3,496,988 

1896 

40,658 

27,257 

3,824,038 

1898 

43,397 

27.355 

4,055,806 

The  Baptist  Family, 

The  Baptist  family  of  the  United  States  is  some- 
times spoken  of  as  included  in  three  sectional  divi- 
sions: First,  Baptists  of  the  North  and  West,  of 
whom  there  are,  according  to  the  reports,  812,479; 
Second,  White  Baptists  in  the  South  and  Southwest, 
of  whom  there  are  1,333,124;  Third,  Colored  Bap- 
tists in  the  South,  of  whom  there  are  1,237,388.     It 


BAPTIST    HISTORY.  517 

may  be  noted  that  the  Northern  Baptists  reported, 
in  1892,  something  more  than  $1,090,000  expended 
the  previous  year  in  Home  and  Foreign  Missions. 
The  Southern  white  Baptists  reported,  in  1892,  total 
receipts  for  Home  and  Foreign  Missions,  $287,542. 
The  colored  Baptists  of  the  South  have  their  mis- 
sion and  educational  enterprises  under  their  own 
management,  for  which  they  raise  and  expend 
amounts  very  creditable  to  them,  considering  the 
circumstances  in  which  they  live  and  act  as  Chris- 
tians, but  the  figures  are  not  at  hand. 

First  things. 

The  following  table  of  historical  data,  believed  to  be 
correct,  presents  facts  which  may  prove  of  substan- 
tial value  for  reference.  The  first  Baptist  Church 
in  each  State  was  organized  at  the  date  here  given.* 

1  Rhode  Island 1639    14  Georgia 1759 

2  Massachusetts 1663    15  Vermont 1768 

3  Maine 1682     16  West  Virginia 1774 

4  South  CaroHna 1682     17  Tennessee 1780 

5  Pennsylvania 1684     18  Mississippi 1780 

6  New  Jersey 1688     19  Ohio 1790 

7  Delaware 1701     20  Illinois 1796 

8  Connecticut   1705    21  Indiana 1798 

9  Virginia 1714    22  Arkansas 1799 

10  New  York 1724  23  Dist.  Columbia 1802 

1 1  North  Carolina 1727  24  Missouri 1805 

12  Maryland 1742  25  Alabama 1808 

13  New  Hampshire 1755  26  Louisiana 1812 

*  This  table  was  compiled  after  laborious  care  in  ascertaining 
the  facts,  and  published  by  Rev.  David  Spencer,  D.  D. 


5l8  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

27  Michigan 1822     38  Washington 1863 

28  Indian  Ter 1832     39  Colorado 1864 

29  Iowa 1835     40  Idaho 1864 

30  Wisconsin  1836    41  Wyoming 1870 

31  Texas 1837     42  South  Dakota 1870 

32  Oregon 1844    43  Montana 1871 

33  Minnesota 1849    44  Nevada 1873 

34  CaHfornia 1849    45  North  Dakota 1879 

35  New  Mexico  Ter 1849    4^  Arizona  Ter 1879 

36  Kansas 1854    47  Utah  Ter 1880 

37  Nebraska 1855    48  Oklahoma  Ter 1889 

During  One  Decade. 

During  the  decade  from  1874  to  1884  there  was 
reported  the  following  increase:  churches,  7,086; 
ministers,  3,313;  members,  1,806,542.  Full  returns, 
in  many  cases,  not  obtainable. 

Numbers  Baptized. 

Some  years  have  been  marked  by  peculiar  revival 
power  in  the  churches,  when  the  numbers  baptized 
were  very  large.  In  1886  there  were  reported  163,- 
300  baptisms.  In  1887,  158,373;  in  1888,  134,563; 
in  1889,  140,058;  in  1890,  155,300;  in  1891,  160,247; 
in  1892,  166,322.  Of  course,  it  is  possible  that  some 
of  these  persons  baptized  may  not  have  been  truly 
regenerate.  There  is  always  a  liability  to  hasty  ad- 
mission to  Church  fellowship,  especially  in  times  of 
high  revival  fervor.  But  they  all  professed  to  be 
genuine  converts,  and  the  rule  universally  recog- 
nized for  admission  is,  that  none  except  such  as  give 
evidence  of  the  new  birth  can  be  received  to  baptism 
and  Church  membership. 


BAPTIST    HISTORY.  519 

Of  the  166,322  reported  as  baptized  during  1892, 
there  were  44,110  among  the  Northern  Baptists, 
75,604  among  the  Southern  white  Baptists,  and  47,- 
601  among  the  Southern  colored  Baptists. 

Other  Baptists, 

There  are  in  the  United  States  various  other 
smaller  sections  of  the  great  Baptist  family,  practis- 
ing immersion,  but  differing  in  many  other  respects 
from  our  own  churches.  In  the  Year  Book  of  1893 
these  are  reported  as  follows:  Free-Will  Baptists, 
about  107,782;  Tunkers,  or  Dunkards,  73,845;  Prim- 
itive, about  87,571;  Separate,  about  1,600;  Seventh- 
Day,  9,317;  Six-Principle,  about  1,000;  Church  of 
God,  22,511;  Christians,  90,718;  Disciples,  641,051; 
Mennonites,  40,428;  United  Brethren,  about  225,000. 

Institutions  of  Learning. 

American  Baptists  have  seven  theological  semi- 
naries, with  58  teachers,  and  818  pupils,  with  prop- 
erty valued  at  $778,230;  endowments,  $2,259,346; 
with  120,500  volumes  in  the  libraries. 

They  have  35  universities  and  colleges,  with  602 
instructors,  8,542  pupils,  $7,295,785  value  in  prop- 
erty, $11,954,667  in  endowments,  54,556  volumes  in 
their  libraries. 

They  have  38  institutions  for  female  education, 
with  397  teachers,  and  4,834  pupils,  with  property 
worth  $2,141,127,  and  $1,226,700  in  endowments, 
with  45,530  volumes  in  their  libraries. 

They  have   51   institutions  for  co-education,  with 


520  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

362  teachers,  7,379  pupils,  $2,280,240  value  of  prop- 
erty, $1,116,789  in  endowments,  and  43,815  volumes 
in  their  libraries. 

They  have  24  schools  for  the  colored  people  in 
the  South,  and  5  among  the  Indians,  with  14  Chi- 
nese mission  schools,  and  5  among  the  people  in 
Mexico.  Whole  number  of  teachers  being  238,  with 
6,6Sy  pupils  enrolled. 

Sunday-schools, 

They  report  19,930  Sunday-schools  for  1892,  with 
143,600  teachers  and  officers,  and  1,390,600  pupils; 
about  one-half  as  many  schools  as  churches,  and 
about  one-third  as  many  pupils  as  Church  members. 

Benevolent  Contributions. 

American  Baptists,  as  a  denomination,  are  not 
wealthy,  yet,  doubtless,  could  give  much  more  lib- 
erally than  they  do.  According  to  the  latest  and 
most  reliable  reports,  they  are  credited  with  giving 
for  missions,  last  year  (1892),  $1,377,500;  for  edu- 
cation, $236,776;  miscellaneous,  $2,463,538.  For 
salaries  of  pastors  and  other  home  expenses  of 
the  churches,  about  $10,000,000 — an  aggregate  of 
nearly  $14,000,000;  while  they  hold  in  value  of 
Church  property,  as  reported,  $71,080,945.  It  seems 
difficult  to  reconcile  these  facts  with  a  sense  of  duty 
to  Christ  and  the  world;  that  they  should  expend 
$10,000,000  on  the  churches  at  home,  and  only  $1,- 
207,243  for  the  conversion  of  the  heathen  world;  or, 
that  they  should  lock  up  more  than  $71,000,000  in 


BAPTIST    HISTORY.  $21 

Church  properties,  when  it  is  so  much  needed  for 
disseminating  the  Gospel.  At  the  same  time  they 
have  $31,760,000  in  property  and  endowments  of 
educational  institutions;  or,  a  total  of  property  and 
endowments  of  churches  and  schools  amounting  to 
$94»390»8ii.  Highly  creditable  in  one  sense,  but 
the  active  work  of  giving  the  Gospel  to  the  world 
should  claim  a  larger  share. 

Foreign  Baptists. 

In  the  Canadas,  about 79,000 

West  India  Islands,  about 44,000 

Great  Britain,  about 373»90o 

Other  parts  of  Europe,  about 89, 100 

Asia,  including  Burmah,  China,  India 97,672 

Africa,  all  parts,  about 3, 357 

Australia,  all  colonies,  about 16,600 

It  may  properly  be  added,  that  in  all  parts  of  the 
world  where  Baptists  exist,  they  are  steadily,  and 
in  many  places  rapidly  increasing,  both  as  to  num- 
bers, culture,  wealth,  and  influence.  But  their  pol- 
ity is  most  in  harmony  with  free  civil  governments 
and  liberal  institutions.  In  Russia,  in  common  with 
some  other  religionists,  they  still  suffer  oppression 
and  persecution.  No  missions  among  the  heathen 
have  shown  such  large  results,  in  proportion  to  the 
means  employed,  as  theirs;  a  fact  in  which  they 
duly  recognize  the  most  gracious  favor  of  God,  to 
whom  be  the  praise.* 

♦  For  many  other  facts  sec  Baptist  Year  Book  for  1893. 


APPENDIX. 


A.  Creeds  and  Confessions. 

B.  Optional  Resolutions. 

C.  Glossary  of  Authorities. 

D.  Rules  of  Order. 

E.  Forms  and  Blanks. 

F.  Benevolent  Societies. 


A.    CREEDS  AND  CONFESSIONS. 

While  all  Evangelical  Christians  hold  that  the  Bible 
alone  is  the  complete  and  sufficient  guide  in  matters  of 
religious  faith  and  practice,  yet  all  denominations  have, 
each  for  itself,  prepared  forms  of  doctrinal  statement, 
setting  forth,  more  or  less  fully,  the  fundamental  truths 
which  they  understand  the  Scriptures  to  teach.  These 
are  put  forth  and  accepted  by  the  various  communions 
as  standards  of  doctrine  for  the  instruction  and  unity  of 
the  people,  and  for  appeal  in  controversy,  while  they  are 
not  held  as  binding  the  conscience,  or  limiting  the  faith 
of  believers,  save  in  a  few  cases.  This  function  is — cer- 
tainly by  all  Protestant  Christians — conceded  to  the  Bible 
alone,  that  of  binding  the  conscience. 

This  dealing  in  Creeds  and  Standards,  as  a  department 
in  theological  science,  is  termed  symbolics. 

These  documents  are  very  numerous,  and  some  of  them 
very  widely  accepted,  and  held  in  great  reverence.  They 
have  served  an  important  purpose  in  the  economy  of 
grace  by  holding  the  faith  of  the  people  to  the  funda- 
mental truths  of  Christianity.  For,  however  much  they 
may  differ  in  minor  details,  they  do  largely  agree  in  the 
more  prominent  teachings  of  the  Scriptures.  These 
Creeds  {credoy  I  believe),  Confessions  {confessus^  assent, 
declaration).  Symbols  {sumbolon^  a  token,  a  sign),  Ar- 
ticles of  Faith  {articulus  Jidei^  something  believed),  as 


526  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

they  are  variously  termed,  have,  to  a  considerable  extent, 
been  sent  forth  with  catechisms  for  the  systematic  instruc- 
tion of  the  young  in  the  doctrines  they  teach.  By  this 
means  the  minds  of  the  people  become  deeply  imbued 
with  essential  religious  truth  in  early  life,  the  convictions 
of  which  usually  abide  through  subsequent  years. 

These  different  Creed-forms,  based  on  and  drawn  from 
the  Word  of  God,  as  understood  by  those  who  framed 
them,  have  been  of  immense  service  to  evangelical  re- 
ligion, by  teaching  the  fundamental  truths  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  guarding  against  many  pernicious  and  destruc- 
tive errors.  It  must  be  conceded,  however,  that  with  all 
their  excellencies,  they  are  not  perfect,  and  do  not  fully, 
and,  in  some  cases,  may  not  faithfully,  represent  the  sacred 
fountain  of  truth  from  which  they  are  drawn.  It  is  even 
asserted  by  some  that  they  are  mischievous  in  their  ten- 
dency, by  affecting  to  be  ultimate,  whereas  they  are  only 
tentative,  and  progressive  toward  more  complete  and  final 
statements;  that  they  fetter  investigation,  and  retard  the 
progress  of  thought;  hence  it  comes  to  pass  that  ortho- 
doxy is  measured  more  by  the  Creeds  than  by  the  Bible, 
and  that  heresy  consists  rather  in  the  rejection  of  the  Con- 
fessions than  in  the  perversion  of  the  Scriptures.  But 
such  results  as  these  transpire  only  in  exceptional  cases, 
and  the  Creeds,  on  the  whole,  have  served  most  beneficent 
purposes.  They  are  to  be  valued  and  used  as  helpful, 
bearing  in  mind  that  the  Bible  alone  is  a  complete  stand- 
ard of  faith  and  practice.  Also,  that  the  Creeds  are  sub- 
ject to  still  further  revision,  since  all  of  them  have  been 
more  or  less  frequently  and  materially  revised. 

Later  in  Christian  history  creed-making  beca^ie  com- 
mon, in  the  hope  of  fixing  a  universally  accepted  standard 


CREEDS  AND  CONFESSIONS.  $2/ 

of  faith.  Indeed,  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries, 
the  period  of  the  Reformation,  became  the  era  of  doctrinal 
symbols.  The  effort  was  to  unify  the  faith  of  the  churches 
by  putting  forth  new  statements  of  doctrine,  hoping  to 
gain  general  assent  to  some  one,  and  thereby  to  secure 
uniformity  of  faith.  But,  to  a  large  extent,  the  asperities 
of  theological  discussion  embittered  and  divided,  more 
than  the  Creeds  harmonized  and  united,  the  various  sec- 
tions of  Protestant  Christendom. 

Many  of  these  confessions  have  become  historic.  Those 
of  Augsburg,  of  Basle,  Heidelberg,  the  Helvetic,  Belgic, 
that  of  Saxony,  the  Synod  of  Dort,  the  Thirty-nine  Articles 
of  the  Anglican  Church,  the  Westminster  Assembly  Con- 
fession, based  on,  and  similar  to,  the  Thirty-nine  Articles; 
the  Savoy,  a  modification  of  the  Westminster's,  and  many 
others  of  lesser  note.  Each  denomination  of  Christians 
has  its  own;  and,  save  the  Apostles'  Creed,  the  oldest  and 
briefest  of  them  all,  there  is  no  one  in  which  all  professed 
Christians  can  agree  as  to  its  entire  statements. 

THE    apostles'    CREED. 

The  Apostles'  Creed,^ so-called,  the  oldest  summary  of 
Christian  doctrine  now  extant,  and  one  which  the  Roman, 
Greek  and  Protestant  Churches  all  accept,  originated,  as 
is  agreed,  as  early  as  the  fourth  century.  It  is  not  known 
by  whom  it  was  prepared — certainly  not  by  the  Apostles, 
whose  name  it  bears,  and  to  whom  tradition  long  ascribed 
it.  "Truly,  in  fact,  it  teaches  apostolic  truth.  Perhaps, 
however,  instead  of  being  made,  it  grew,  as  most  enduring 
things  have  done.  Possibly,  also,  the  brevity  of  its  form, 
as  well  as  the  substance  of  its  truth,  has  helped  to  preserve 
it  .from    oblivion.      Augustine   pronounced   it   brevis  et 


528  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

grandis — brief  as  to  the  number  of  its  words,  grand  as  to 
the  weight  of  its  teachings. 
It  is  as  follows: 

"  I  believe  in  God  the  Father  Almighty,  maker  of  heaven  and 
earth: 

••And  in  Jesus  Christ,  His  only  Son,  our  Lord, 

**  Who  was  conceived  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 

"  Born  of  the  Virgin  Mary, 

"  Suffered  under  Pontius  Pilate, 

"  Was  crucified,  dead  and  buried. 

"  He  descended  into  hades: 

"The  third  day  He  rose  again  from  the  dead. 

"  He  ascended  into  heaven,  and  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of  God 
the  Father  Almighty; 

"  From  thence  He  shall  come  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead. 

"  I  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost;  the  holy  catholic  church;  the 
communion  of  saints;  the  forgiveness  of  sins;  the  resurrection  of 
the  body;  and  the  life  everlasting.     Amen." 

II.       THE    NICENE    CREED. 

The  Nicene  Creed  also  belongs  to  the  fourth  century — 
which  was  a  creed-making  era— having  been  adopted  by 
the  Council  of  Nice  a.  d.  325,  enlarged  and  approved  by 
the  second  Council  of  Constantinople  a.  d.  381,  in  which 
form  it  is  commonly  used,  and  is  given  below.  It  is  some- 
what longer  than  the  Apostles',  and  much  briefer  and 
more  satisfactory  than  the  Athanasian.  It  made  emphatic 
the  divinity  of  Christ,  and  was  designed  as  a  breakwater 
against  the  incoming  heresy  of  the  Arians. 

It  is  as  follows: 

"  I  believe  in  one  God,  the  Father  Almighty,  Maker  of  heaven 
And  earth,  and  of  all  things  visible  and  invisible,  and  in  one  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God,  begotten  of  His  Fa- 
ther before  ?11  worlds;  God  of  God,  Light  of  Light,  very  God* of 


CREEDS   AND   CONFESSIONS.  529 

very  God,  begotten,  not  nnade,  being  of  one  substance  with  the 
Father,  by  whom  all  things  were  made;  who  for  us  men,  and  for 
our  salvation,  came  down  from  heaven,  and  was  incarnate  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  was  made  man;  and  was 
crucified  also  for  us,  under  Pontius  Pilate;  He  suffered,  and  was 
buried;  and  the  third  day  He  rose  again,  according  to  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  ascended  into  heaven,  and  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of 
the  Father.  And  He  shall  come  again  with  glory  to  judge  both 
the  quick  and  the  dead;  whose  kingdom  shall  have  no  end.  And 
I  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Lord  and  Giver  of  life,  who 
proceedeth  from  the  Father  and  the  Son,  who  with  the  Father 
and  the  Son  together,  is  worshiped  and  glorified;  who  spake  by 
the  prophets.  And  I  believe  in  one  catholic  and  apostolic  Church. 
I  acknowledge  one  baptism  for  the  remission  of  sins;  and  I  look 
for  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  and  the  life  of  the  world  to  come. 
Amen." 

III.      THE    ATHANASIAN   CREED. 

This  also  was  the  product  of  the  fourth  century,  but  is 
not  thought  to  have  been  prepared  by  Athanasius  himself, 
though  he  may  have  produced  the  original  basis  on  which 
it  was  built,  while  the  superstructure  underwent  various 
modifications  by  other  hands  before  it  crystallized  into  its 
final  form,  after  several  centuries  of  use  and  change.  It 
is  longer  than  the  other  ancient  symbols,  and  less  satis- 
factory to  the  faith  of  the  present  age.  In  its  final  shape 
it  was  designed  to  stem  the  current  of  Arian  heresy  by 
strongly  teaching  the  absolute  divinity  of  Christ,  and  his 
co-equality  with  the  Father.  A  large  part  of  the  text  is 
devoted  to  this  doctrine,  the  phraseology  of  which  is  as 
offensive  to  a  good  literary  taste  as  the  doctrinal  teaching 
is  perplexing  to  a  simple  Christian  faith.  It  will  do  to 
stand  with  the  metaphysical  subtleties  of  the  schoolmen 
rather  than  with  the  teachings  of  Christian  truth.  The 
34 


530  .  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

greater  part  of  it  to  common  minds  conveys  no  sense 
whatever.     Of  course  it  embodies  much  truth. 
It  is  as  follows: 

"  Whoever  will  be  saved,  before  allthings  it  is  necessary  that 
he  hold  the  catholic  faith.  Which  faith,  except  every  one  do 
keep  whole  and  undefiled,  without  doubt  he  shall  perish  ever- 
lastingly. And  the  catholic  faith  is  this:  That  we  worship  one 
God  in  Trinity,  and  Trinity  in  Unity;  neither  confounding  the 
persons  nor  dividing  the  substance.  For  there  is  one  person  of 
the  Father,  another  of  the  Son,  and  another  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
But  the  Godhead  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  is  all  one;  the  glory  equal,  the  majesty  co-eternal.  Such 
as  the  Father  is,  such  is  the  Son,  and  such  is  the  Holy  Ghost. 
The  Father  uncreate,  the  Son  uncreate,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  un- 
create.  The  Father  incomprehensible,  the  Son  incomprehensi- 
ble, and  the  Holy  Ghost  incomprehensible.  The  Father  eternal, 
the  Son  eternal,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  eternal.  And  yet  they  are 
not  three  eternals,  but  one  eternal.  As  also  there  are  not  three 
incomprehensibles,  nor  three  uncreated,  but  one  uncreated  and 
one  incomprehensible,  so  likewise  is  the  Father  Almighty,  the 
Son  Almighty,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  Almighty.  And  yet  there 
are  not  three  almighties,  but  one  almighty.  So  the  Father  is  God, 
the  Son  is  God,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  is  God.  And  yet  there  are 
not  three  Gods,  but  one  God.  So  also  the  Father  is  Lord,  the 
Son  is  Lord,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  is  Lord.  And  yet  not  three 
Lords,  but  one  Lord.  For  like  as  we  are  compelled  by  the  Chris- 
tian verity  to  acknowledge  every  person  by  himself  to  be  God 
and  Lord,  so  are  we  forbidden  by  the  catholic  religion  to  say 
there  be  three  Gods  and  three  Lords. 

"  The  Father  is  made  of  none,  neither  created  nor  begotten.  The 
Son  is  of  the  Father  alone:  not  made  nor  created,  but  begotten. 
The  Holy  Ghost  is  of  the  Father  and  the  Son,  neither  made,  nor 
created,  nor  begotten,  but  proceeding.  So  there  is  one  Father, 
not  three  Fathers;  one  Son,  not  three  Sons;  one  Holy  Ghost,  not 
three  Holy  Ghosts.  And  in  this  Trinity  none  is  afore  or  after  the 
other;  none  is  greater  nor  less  than  another.     But  the  whole  three 


CREEDS  AND  CONFESSIONS.  53 1 

persons  are  co-eternal  together,  and  co-equal.  So  that  in  all  things, 
as  is  aforesaid,  the  Unity  in  Trinity  and  the  Trinity  in  Unity  is  to 
be  worshiped.  He,  therefore,  that  will  be  saved,  must  thus  think 
of  the  Trinity. 

"  Furthermore,  it  is  necessary  to  everlasting  salvation  that  he 
also  believe  rightly  the  incarnation  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  For 
the  right  faith  is  that  we  believe  and  confess  that  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  is  God  and  man.  God  the  substance  of 
the  Father,  begotten  before  the  worlds;  and  man,  the  substance 
of  His  mother,  born  in  the  world,  perfect  God  and  perfect  man,  of 
a  reasonable  soul  and  human  flesh  subsisting.  Equal  to  the  Fa- 
ther as  touching  His  Godhead,  and  inferior  to  the  Father  as  touch- 
ing His  manhood.  Who,  although  He  be  God  and  man,  yet  He  is 
not  two  but  one  Christ.  One,  not  by  conversion  of  the  Godhead 
into  flesh,  but  by  taking  of  the  manhood  into  God.  One  alto- 
gether not  by  confusion  of  substance,  but  by  unity  of  person. 
For,  as  the  reasonable  soul  and  flesh  is  one  man,  so  God  and  man 
is  one  Christ. 

"  Who  suffered  for  our  salvation,  descended  into  hell,  rose  again 
the  third  day  from  the  dead.  He  ascended  into  heaven,  He  sittelh 
at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father  Almighty.  From  whence  He  shall 
come  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead.  At  whose  coming  all  men 
shall  rise  again  with  their  bodies,  and  shall  give  account  of  their 
own  works.  And  they  that  have  done  good  shall  go  into  life 
everlasting,  and  they  who  have  done  evil,  into  everlasting  fire. 

"  This  *  is  the  catholic  faith,  which  except  a  man  believe  faith- 
fully, he  cannot  be  saved.  Glory  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the 
Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost.  As  it  was  in  the  beginning,  is  now, 
and  ever  shall  be,  world  without  end.     Amen.'  " 

IV.       LATER    CONFESSIONS. 

The  Augsburg  Confession  is  the  principal  standard  of 
doctrine  for  the  Lutheran  churches,  and  constitutes  what 
is  considered  "  the  first  Protestant  Confession,"  though 
Luther  had  previously  prepared  articles  for  the  Conven- 
tion of  Schwalbach,  which,   however,  had  not  yet  been 


532  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

published.  The  Emperor  Charles  T.  called  a  German 
Diet  to  meet  at  Augsburg,  1530,  and  directed  the  Prot- 
estants to  present  a  statement  of  their  faith.  The  Elector 
John  of  Saxony  requested  the  doctors  of  Wittenberg  to 
draw  up  such  a  summary.  Among  them  were  Luther  and 
Melancthon,  who  were  chiefly  instrumental  in  the  work. 
These  articles  were  presented  and  accepted,  1530,  having 
been  completed  by  Melancthon. 

The  Sch7?ialcald  Confession,  drawn  chiefly  by  Luther,  as 
a  protest  against  the  traditions  and  false  teachings  of  the 
papacy,  was  presented  to  the  Protestant  league  of  princes, 
electors,  and  nobles,  at  Schmalcald,  and  by  them  ap- 
proved in  1537,  and  published  in  German  and  Latin,  at 
Wittenberg,  the  next  year.  These  articles  are  regarded 
as  authoritative  by  the  Lutheran  churches  throughout  the 
world. 

The  Thirty-nine  Articles,  so-called,  constitute  the  Con- 
fession of  the  Church  of  England.  Originally  these  were 
forty-two.  They  were  prepared  by  a  royal  commission, 
appointed  in  155 1,  under  Edward  VI.,  for  this  purpose. 
At  the  head  of  it  was  Archbishop  Cranmer,  who  had  previ- 
ously prepared  some  articles,  drawn  largely  from  the  Augs- 
burg Confession.  These  became  the  basis  of  the  thirty-nine. 
Calvin,  Melancthon,  Bullinger,  Peter  Martyr,  and  others, 
conferred  as  to  their  preparation.  In  1553  they  were 
presented  to  the  Convocation.  Various  changes  were  made 
in  them  before  they  were  confirmed  by  Parliament.  Vari- 
ous further  changes  were  made  by  Convocation  in  1562, 
1566,  and  157 1,  but  it  was  not  till  1628  that  they  were  issued 
by  royal  authority  under  Charles  I.  In  1801  they  were 
adopted  by  the  Episcopal  Church  in  America,  with  some 
further  alterations,  and  the  omission  of  one  article,  and 


CREEDS  AND   CONFESSIONS.  533 

with  still  further  changes  they  have  become  the  accepted 
Confession  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  Am- 
erica. 

The  Heidelberg  Confession,  called  also  the  Palatinate 
Catechism,  was  prepared  under  the  direction  of  Frederick 
III,,  prince  of  the  Palatinate,  who  had  espoused  the  cause 
of  the  Reformation.  Its  preparation  was  committed  to 
Ursinus,  a  pupil  of  Melancthon  (who  is  regarded  as  its 
principal  author),  aided  by  Olevianus,  court  preacher  and 
professor  at  Heidelberg.  Catechisms  of  Luther,  Calvin, 
Melancthon,  and  Lasco,  furnished  materials,  and  the  work 
was  completed,  presented  to,  and  accepted  by,  a  synod  of 
the  Palatinate,  December,  1562,  and  published  in  1563. 
It  has  been  published  by  millions,  and  translated  into 
nearly  every  known  language.  It  has  become  the  vener- 
ated symbol  and  the  accepted  doctrinal  standard  of  the 
German  and  Dutch  Reformed  Churches  everywhere.  It 
is  strongly  Calvinistic  in  tone,  and  is,  beyond  question, 
one  of  the  most  admirable  compends  of  Christian  doctrine 
extant. 

The  Canons  of  Dort  were  prepared  by  a  national  synod, 
called  to  settle  the  disputes  which  had  arisen  between  the 
Calvinists  and  the  Arminians.  In  this  bitter  controversy 
the  great  Grotius  and  the  equally  noble  Barneveldt  were 
engaged  ;  the  latter  of  whom  lost  his  life  through  the  hos- 
tile and  heartless  jealousy  of  Maurice,  Stadtholder  of 
Nassau.  The  synod  opened  its  sessions,  November,  16 18, 
in  the  great  church  of  Dort,  Holland,  and  closed  them  in 
May,  1619.  They  approved  as  orthodox  both  the  Heidel- 
berg and  Belgic  Confessions,  and  issued  their  own  Canons 
of  Doctrine,  which  are  accepted  as  authoritative  by  the 
Reformed  Dutch  Church,  and  some  other  communions. 


534  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

The  Westminster  Confession  is  the  leading  docrinal 
standard  of  the  Presbyterian  churches  throughout  the 
world,  and,  with  some  exceptions,  is  one  of  the  best  cora- 
pends  of  Christian  faith  of  modern  history.  It  was  pre- 
pared by  the  Westminster  synod,  known  as  the  "  Assem- 
bly of  Divines,"  appointed  by  Parliament,  and  composed 
of  Presbyterians,  Episcopalians,  Independents,  and  Eras- 
tians  :*  one  hundred  and  twenty-one  divines  and  thirty 
laymen  from  England,  and  five  from  Scotland.  The 
meetings  were  held  in  Westminster  Abbey,  London,  hav- 
ing been  convened  in  the  presence  of  both  houses  of  Par- 
liament, July  I,  1643.  The  assembly  continued  its  ses- 
sions until  the  dissolution  of  the  Long  Parliament  by 
Cromwell  in  1653.  Their  labors  included  the  larger  and 
smaller  Catechism,  and  a  Directory  for  public  worship,  in 
addition  to  the  Confession.  This  was  based  on,  and 
largely  conformed  to,  the  Thirty-nine  Articles  of  the  Eng- 
lish Church  ;  indeed,  it  was  little  more  than  a  revision  of 
that  document,  prepared  a  hundred  years  before,  adopting 
it,  article  by  article,  with  few  changes,  to  the  close  of  the 
fifteenth  article,  where  their  revision  terminated.  The 
work  was  approved  by  the  House  of  Commons,  1647,  and 
adopted  by  the  Presbyterian  General  Assembly  of  Scot- 
land, 1648.  The  Episcopalian  and  Independent  churches 
did  not  accept  the  Confession.  Various  changes  have 
since  been  made  in  it,  and  the  form  now  used  in  this  coun- 
try— about  which  so  much  has  been  said  during  recent 
years — as  issued  by  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication, 

*  Erastians  were  followers  of  Erastus,  a  German  divine  and 
physician  of  the  sixteenth  century,  who  taught  that  the  Church 
ought  to  be  wholly  dependent  upon  the  State  for  its  support, 
government,  and  discipline. 


CREEDS  AND   CONFESSIONS.  535 

consists  of  Thirty-three  Articles,  or  Chapters,  with  nu- 
merous subdivisions,  or  sections,  accompanied  with  scrip- 
tural proof-texts,  making  a  considerable  book  of  166 
pages. 

The  Savoy  Confession^  so-called  from  the  Savoy  palace, 
the  residence  of  the  bishop  of  London,  in  which  was  held 
the  Conference,  1658,  appointed  by  royal  commission  to 
formulate  a  declaration  of  faith,  which  should,  if  possible, 
harmonize  the  Nonconformists  with  the  Anglican  Church. 
Both  the  Anglican  and  the  Dissenting  clergy  were  engaged 
in  the  Conference,  but  the  effort  proved  unavailing.  The 
Confession  prepared  is  largely  a  reproduction  of  the 
Westminster  Assembly's,  and  to  a  considerable  extent 
verbally  identical  with  it ;  containing  thirty-two  articles, 
one  less  than  the  Assembly's.  It  is  an  accepted  standard 
of  the  Independents  and  Congregationalists,  though  not 
held  as  binding.* 

V.       BAPTIST    CONFESSIONS. 

The  Protestant  doctrine  that  the  Bible  alone  is  an  au- 
thoritative standard  of  religious  truth,  and  the  only  suf- 
ficient guide  in  faith  and  doctrine,  is  emphasized  by  Bap- 
tists. All  Protestant  Confessions  are  professedly  founded 
on,  and  drawn  directly  from,  the  word  of  God,  utterly  re- 
jecting the  Romish  claim  that  tradition  is  of  equal  authority 
with  the  Scriptures.  Baptists  have  their  Confessions,  or, 
as  they  are  more  commonly  called,  "  Articles  of  Faith." 
Most  churches  have  these  summaries,  and  each  Church 
uses  such  form  as  it  may  prefer  ;  or  no  form  at  all,  if  such 

*  For  a  full  discussion  of  this  subject  sec  Schaff' s  Creeds  of 
Christendom. 


536  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

be  its  choice.  None  are  binding  on  the  conscience  of 
any,  and  members  are  not  required  to  subscribe  to  any. 
The  New  Testament  alone  is  their  authoritative  and  bind- 
ing standard.  But  these  confessional  compends  con- 
stitute convenient  formularies  for  reference,  and  for  the 
instruction  of  the  young.  They  help  also  to  hold  the 
minds  of  the  people  to  the  radical  forms  of  evangelical 
truth. 

Among  American  Baptists  are  to  be  found  great  num- 
bers of  these  formularies,  in  a  great  variety  of  expression, 
as  the  churches  which  use  them,  or  the  pastors  who  con- 
structed them  may  be  inclined,  but  with  a  remarkable—' 
it  may  be  said,  with  a  marvelous — harmony  of  doctrinal 
statements.  Some  of  these  have  attained  local  notoriety, 
and  have  been  accepted  by  particular  Associations.  But 
two  in  particular  have  gained  wide  currency,  and  have 
been  adopted  over  extensive  fields.  These  are,  the  New 
Hampshire  Confession^  so-called,  generally  adopted  by 
the  churches  of  the  North,  East,  and  West ;  and  the 
Philadelphia  Confession^  extensively  used  by  the  churches 
of  the  South  and  Southwest.  The  former  is  much  the 
briefer  of  the  two,  and  for  that  reason  partly,  no  doubt, 
is  in  more  common  demand.  For  that  reason,  also,  largely, 
and  because  of  its  general  excellency,  it  has  been  choserf 
for  insertion  in  the  Directory  and  in  the  author's  othei 
manuals.  It  now  consists  of  twenty  articles,  with  a  cov 
enant.  A  part  of  the  proof-texts  are  omitted  from  this 
work,  as  being  inapposite,  and  to  save  space. 

The  Philadelphia  Confession  is  substantially  that  of  the 
English  Baptists,  issued  in  London,  1689,  by  the  ministers 
and  messengers  of  more  than  one  hundred  "  baptized  con- 
gregations "  in  the  United  Kingdom,  as  an  answer  to  the 


CREEDS   AND   CONFESSIONS.  53/ 

misrepresentations  and  slanders  of  their  enemies.  That 
was  based  on,  and  an  enlargement  of,  the  Confession  pub- 
lished in  London,  in  1644,  ^7  seven  churches  for  the 
same  purpose,  and  for  substance  of  doctrine  does  not 
differ  from  that.  In  1742  the  old  Philadelphia  Associa- 
tion, feeling  the  need  of  some  standard  for  the  use  of  its 
own  members,  and  to  which  inquirers  could  be  referred, 
adopted  this,  which  has  since  borne  the  name  of  that  body. 
But  in  its  adoption  some  changes  were  made.  Two  articles 
were  added,  one  on  "  singing  in  worship  as  a  holy  ordin- 
ance of  Christ,"  and  one  on  "the  laying  on  of  hands  with 
prayer  upon  baptized  believers,  as  an  ordinance  of 
Christ."*  To  these  articles  was  added  an  essay  on  Church 
Discipline.  But  both  the  added  articles  and  the  essay 
were  subsequently  omitted.  This  Confession  consists  of 
thirty-two  articles,  or  chapters,  with  numerous  subdivisions, 
and  an  appendix  on  baptism.  That  of  1644  is  much  more 
brief,  though  it  contains  fifty-two  articles,  but  without  sub- 
sections, f 

*  The  laying  hands  on  the  newly  baptized  before  they  left  the 
water  was  practised  in  many,  if  not  in  most  churches,  and  is  still 
the  custom  of  some  ministers. 

f  On  this  subject  see  Neal's  Hist.  Puritans,  Vol.  II.,  p.  475, 
Append.;  Cutting's  Hist.  Vindications,  Append.,  p.  113;  Cath- 
cart's  Bap.  Ency.,  Art.  Confessions. 

The  Philadelphia  Confession  is  a  most  admirable  statement  of 
Christian  doctrine,  but  is  quite  too  long,  and  theologically  too 
abstruse  for  general  circulation.  Its  length  alone  precludes  it 
from  this  work,  as  it  would  fill  forty  of  these  pages.  Probably 
the  best  edition  now  accessible  is  the  reprint  of  Mr.  Spurgcon's, 
issued  by  Wharton  &  Baron  of  Baltimore,  Md.  It  is  somewhat 
more  pronounced  as  a  Calvinistic  symbol  than  the  majority  of  our 
present  standards,  though  all  claim  to  be  Calvinistic — moderately. 


538  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

THE    NEW    HAMPSHIRE    CONFESSION. 

The  New  Hampshire  Confession  was  of  slow  growth,  as 
most  enduring  standard  documents  have  been.  Its  origin 
dates  back  to  1830,  when  the  New  Hampshire  Baptist 
State  Convention,  holding  its  session  at  Concord,  June 
24th,  authorized  the  preparation  of  a  '*  declaration  of 
faith,"  which  might  secure  the  approval  and  serve  the 
purpose  of  all  the  Baptist  Churches  in  that  State.  The 
proposition  met  with  general  approval,  and  a  committee 
of  three  was  appointed  to  do  the  work,  and  report.  As 
the  Convention  met  only  annually  the  matter  was  finally 
referred  to  the  Board.  The  committee  underwent  various 
changes,  and  it  was  not  until  1833,  after  many  modifica- 
tions from  the  first  draft,  that  the  ''Declaration"  was 
approved,  article  by  article,  and  unanimously  adopted  as 
their  standard  of  faith. 

When,  in  1889,  the  writer  was  contemplating  the  prep- 
aration of  a  new  and  much  enlarged  edition  of  the  Bap- 
tist Church  Directory — or,  rather,  a  new  and  larger  work 
on  the  same  plan — he  sought  in  vain  for  definite  inform- 
ation as  to  the  origin  of  the  New  Hampshire  Confession. 
It  has  been  generally  supposed  that  the  late  Rev.  J.  New- 
ton Brown,  D.D.,  was  the  author,  as  it  was  known  he  held 
some  connection  with  its  preparation,  and  had  in  more 
recent  years  issued  a  copy  under  his  own  name.  Finally, 
I  wrote  to  my  old  friend,  Rev.  W.  H.  Eaton,  D.  D.,  so 
long  the  honored  pastor  at  Keene,  N.  H.,  who  was  very 
familiar  with  denominational  affairs  in  that  State,  to 
know  if  he  could  give  me  any  light  on  the  subject.  After 
some  delay,  I  received  the  following  letter  in  reply,  which 
it  gives  me  pleasure  to  insert,  and  for  which  I  am  under 
special  obligations. 


CREEDS   AND   CONFESSIONS.  539 

"  Keene,  April  9,  1889. 
*•  My  Dear  Diu  Hiscox  : 

"  When  I  received  your  first  communication  I  was  satchel  in 
hand  for  the  cars  on  a  thirty-mile  exchange.  I  came  home  sick, 
and  staid  in  the  house  nine  days.     I  am  gaining  now  quite  fast. 

"  I  will  inform  you  about  our  Declaration  of  Faith.  The  first 
edition  was  published  in  iSjj;  the  last,  in  1S82.  The  history 
seems  to  be  as  follows  :  In  the  Convention  at  Concord  in  June, 
1830,  Rev.  Noah  Nichols  of  Rumney  introduced  the  following: 
'  Whereas,  The  Baptist  denomination  of  Christians  are  believed  to 
be  united  in  their  views  of  the  important  and  essential  doctrines 
and  practices  of  our  holy  religion  (although  their  declarations  of 
faith  are  not  in  precisely  the  same  language  as  it  is  desirable  they 
should  be),  therefore, 

"  'Resolved,  That  Brethren  N.  W.  Williams,  Wm.  Taylor,  and  I. 
Person  be  a  committee  to  prepare  and  present,  at  our  next  annual 
session,  such  a  Declaration  of  Faith  and  Practice,  together  with  a 
Covenant,  as  may  be  thought  agreeable  to,  and  consistent  with, 
the  views  of  all  our  churches  in  this  state.*  This  was  adopted. 
At  Hopkinton  in  June,  1831,  I  find  this  record  :  '  The  committee 
appointed  last  year  to  prepare  and  present  a  concise  and  scriptural 
Declaration  of  Faith  and  Practice,  reported  that  they  had  made 
some  progress  in  the  work  assigned  them,  but,  owing  to  peculiar 
circumstances,  had  not  been  able  to  complete  it.' 

"At  their  request,  the  committee  were  discharged,  and  Rev.  I. 
Person  appointed  to  finish  the  work  and  report  to  the  Board  of 
this  Convention  as  soon  as  convenient.  By  this  vote  the  whole 
thing  was  transferred  to  the  Board. 

"  At  the  Board  Meeting  June  26, 1832, '  Rev.  I.  Person  presented 
his  report  in  relation  to  the  Articles  of  Faith  and  Practice,  which 
he  was  some  time  since  appointed  to  prepare.'  And  they  were 
referred  to  a  select  committee,  consisting  of  Stow,  Brown  and 
Going,  with  the  author.  Again,  in  Convention  at  Portsmouth  in 
June,  1832,  I  find  this  record  : 

••  '  The  committee,  to  whom  the  Board  had  referred  the  Articles 
of  Faith  and  Practice  prepared  by  Brother  Person,  reported  in 
favor  of  adopting  them  with  some  slight  alterations;  but  after 


540  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

some  discussion  it  was  resolved  to  refer  them  to  the  disposition 
of  the  Board.' 

"  At  the  Board  Meeting  June  29,  1832,  they  were  presented  and 
referred  to  Brethren  Stow  and  Brown  for  revision. 

"  At  the  Board  Meeting  Oct.  10,  1832,  they  were  presented  and 
considered,  article  by  article;  then  Bro.  Brown  was  appointed  to 
prepare  a  copy  with  such  alterations  as  had  been  suggested  by  the 
Board.' 

"  At  the  Board  Meeting  in  Jan.,  1833,  it  was  voted  to  erase  the 
word  'article'  or  'articles'  wherever  it  was  found,  and  substitute 
the  word  '  Declaration.'  Then  Bro.  Brown  presented  the  copy  he 
had  prepared,  and  they  adjourned  for  one  hour.  Then,  after  a 
second  adjournment,  it  was 

"  ^Resolved,  That  the  Declaration  of  Faith  and  Covenant  pre- 
pared by  Brethren  Stow  and  Brown,  and  now  read  before  the 
Board  of  this  Convention,  are  entitled  to  their  unanimous  appro- 
bation, and  are  by  them  cordially  recommended  to  the  adoption 
of  the  churches.'  Then  arrangements  were  made  for  publishing 
them. 

"  You  will  see  by  the  above  that  the  proceedings  about  the  Dec- 
laration were  all  in  the  Convention  and  Board. 

*  *  You  understand  that  Stow  was  Baron  Stow,  D.  D. ,  and  that  Brown 
was  J.  Newton  Brown,  D.D.  The  tradition  has  always  been  that 
the  Declaration  was  the  work  of  J.  N.  Brown.  I  trust  that  the 
above  will  be  satisfactory.  If  anything  now  is  omitted,  please  let 
me  know. 

"  Yours  most  truly, 

"W.  H.  Eaton." 

At  the  meeting  of  the  New  Hampshire  Historical  Soci- 
ety at  Concord,  Oct.  21,  1891,  Rev.  Wm.  Hurlin  of  An- 
trim, N.  H.,  presented  to  that  body  a  carefully  prepared 
history  of  the  "  Declaration,"  to  which  service  he  had  been 
previously  appointed,  which  history  was  accepted,  with  the 
thanks  of  the  body.  I  wish  to  acknowledge  my  indebted- 
ness to  Rev.  Mr.  Hurlin  for  a  copy  of  this  report,  which 


CREEDS  AND  CONFESSIONS.  54I 

he  was  kind  enough  to  send  me.     Omitting  the  details,  the 
following  is  the  summary  of  that  report  : 

"  The  following  is  a  summary  of  the  Records  on  this  matter: 
In  1830  the  Convention  appointed  a  committee  of  three  to  prepare 
a  Declaration  of  Faith  and  a  Covenant.  That  committee  made 
some  progress,  and  then  in  1831  they  were,  at  their  own  request, 
discharged,  and  one  of  their  number.  Rev.  I.  Person  (afterward 
spelt  Pearson),  was  appointed  \.o  finish  the  work.  He  presented 
what  he  had  done  to  the  Convention  of  1832,  and  it  was  accepted 
and  referred  to  a  select  committee  of  three  persons  in  addition  to 
the  author.  This  committee  reported  in  favor  of  adopting  the 
articles  'prepared  by  Bro.  Person,  .  .  .  with  slight  altera- 
tions,' but  after  discussion,  the  Convention  voted  '  to  refer  them 
to  the  disposal  of  the  Board.' 

"  The  Board  referred  them  to  two  members  of  the  select  com- 
mittee, Brethren  Stow  and  Brown,  to  be  revised  and  presented  at 
a  future  meeting.  In  October,  1832,  Rev.  J.  N.  Brown  pre- 
sented the  report  of  this  committee,  and  after  a  long  and  pro. 
tracted  consideration,  article  by  article,  it  was  accepted,  and  Rev. 
J.  N.  Brown  was  requested  to  prepare  a  copy  of  it,  including  such 
alterations  as  had  been  suggested  by  the  Board.  At  a  subsequent 
meeting  the  Board  voted  still  further  amendments,  and  then  Bro. 
Brown  presented  the  amended  copy,  and  it  was  unanimously  ap- 
proved by  the  Board,  and  recommended  to  the  churches  of  the 
State. 

"  Thus  far  the  indications  are  that  it  is  the  work  of  Rev.  I.  Per- 
son, revised  by  Revs.  B.  Stow  and  J.  N.  Brown,  and  largely 
altered  by  the  full  Board,  and  then  finally  prepared  for  the 
press  by  Rev.  J.  N.  Brown.  It  is  to  be  noted  here  that  in  the 
Resolution  by  which  the  Board  approved  and  recommended  it, 
they  speak  of  it  as  "  The  Declaration  of  Faith  and  Covenant  pre- 
pared by  Brethren  Stow  and  Brown,'  thus  speaking  of  these  two 
as  joint  authors. 

"  But  in  1853  Rev.  J.  N.  Brown  republished  the  Declaration 
and  Covenant,  under  the  title  of  The  Baptist  Church  Mannal^ 
'  with  such  revision  as  on  mature  reflection  he  deems  called  for 


542  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

after  the  lapse  of  twenty  years/  and  also  *  supplying  two  new 
articles,  one  on  Repentance  and  Faith,  and  the  other  on  Sanctifi- 
cation.'  In  the  advertisement  to  this  pamphlet  Mr.  Brown  claims 
the  authorship  of  the  original  publication,  and  this  would  seem  to 
settle  the  question,  which  is  otherwise  obscure." 

As  first  published,  there  were  sixteen  articles.  Subse- 
quently Dr.  Brown  added  two  :  one  on  Repentance  and 
Faith,  and  one  on  Sanctification.  When  this  author  pre- 
pared them  for  his  Standard  Manual  in  1890,  he  divided 
the  article  on  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  making  two, 
and  increasing  the  number  to  nineteen.  Some  verbal 
changes  were  also  made,  which  seemed  to  be  improve- 
ments, and  a  few  of  the  proof-texts,  which  did  not  appear 
pertinent,  were  omitted.  For  this  work  a  further  change 
has  been  made  by  dividing  the  article  on  Repentance  and 
Faith,  giving  one  to  each  subject,  and  adding  an  article 
on  Adoption,  which  seems  to  deserve  a  place  in  such  a 
document.  It  is  to  be  noted,  however,  that  none  of  these 
changes  have  modified,  or  in  any  way  altered,  the  doctrinal 
substance,  or  teaching  of  the  Confession.  It  now  consists 
of  twenty  articles,  intelligible  as  to  statement,  simple  as 
to  form,  and  loyal  to  New  Testament  truth.  No  other 
creed  form  has  attained  to  anything  like  its  general  circu- 
lation among  American  Baptists.*  It  is  as  follows: 

*  About  100,000  copies  have  been  circulated  with  the  author's 
manuals  alone,  besides  its  wide  dissemination  by  other  means.  In 
the  Directory,  not  far  from  60,000  have  been  sent  out.  In  the 
Star  Book  on  Church  Polity  more  than  30,000,  and  in  the  Stan- 
dard Manual  about  10,000.  On  the  whole,  for  common  use 
among  Baptists,  no  other  form  of  doctrinal  statement  has  so 
much  to  commend  it  as  this,  though  none  can  be  claimed  as 
perfect. 


CREEDS  AND  CONFESSIONS.  543 


ARTICLES   OF   FAITH. 

I.  THE    SCRIPTURES. 

We  believe  that  the  Holy  Bible  was  written  by  men 
divinely  inspired,  and  is  a  perfect  treasure  of  heavenly 
instruction;  that  it  has  God  for  its  author,  salvation  for  its 
end,  and  truth  without  any  mixture  of  errror  for  its  mat- 
ter; that  it  reveals  the  principles  by  which  God  will  judge 
us;  and  therefore  is,  and  shall  remain  to  the  end  of  the 
world,  the  true  centre  of  Christian  union,  and  the  supreme 
standard  by  which  all  human  conduct,  creeds,  and  opin- 
ions should  be  tried. 

"All  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is 
profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  in- 
struction in  righteousness;  that  the  man  of  God  may  be 
perfect,  thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works." — 
2  Tim.  3  :  16,  17.  Also,  2  Pet.  i:  21;  2  Sam.  23  :  2;  Acts 
I  :  16;  3  :  21  ;  John  10  135;  Luke  16  :  29-31;  Ps.  119  :  3; 
Rom.  3  :  I,  2. 

"  Every  word  of  God  is  pure.  Add  thou  not  unto  His 
words,  lest  he  reprove  thee,  and  thou  be  found  a  liar." — Prov. 
30:  5,  6.     Also,  John  17:17;  Rev.  22  :  18,  19;  Rom.  3:4. 

*'  As  many  as  have  sinned  in  the  law,  shall  be  judged 
by  the  law." — Rom.  2:12.  "If  any  man  hear  my  words, 
the  word  that  I  have  spoken,  the  same  shall  judge  him  in 
the  last  day." — John  12:47,  48.  Also  i  Cor.  4:314; 
Luke  10  :  10-16;  12  :  47,  48. 

II.  THE   TRUE   GOD. 

We  believe  the  Scriptures  teach  that  there  is  one,  and 
only  one,  living   and  true   God,  an   infinite,   intelligent 


544  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Spirit,  whose  name  is  Jehovah,  the  Maker  and  Supreme 
Ruler  of  Heaven  and  Earth;  inexpressibly  glorious  in 
holiness,  and  worthy  of  all  possible  honor,  confidence  and 
love;  that  in  the  unity  of  the  Godhead  there  are  three 
persons,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost;  equal 
in  every  divine  perfection,  and  executing  distinct  but  har- 
monious offices  in  the  great  work  of  redemption. 

"  God  is  a  Spirit/' — John  4  :  24.  "  His  understanding 
is  infinite." — Ps.  147  :  5.  "  Thou  whose  name  alone  is 
Jehovah,  art  the  Most  High  over  all  the  earth." — Ps.  83: 
18;  Heb.  3:4;  Rom.  1:20;  Jer.  10:10. 

"Who  is  like  unto  Thee — glorious  in  holiness?" — Ex. 
15: 11:  Isa.  6:3;  I  Pet.  i:  15,  16;  Rev.  4:  6-8. 

'*  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart, 
and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind,  and  with  all 
thy  strength." — Mark  12:30.  "Thou  art  worthy,  O  Lord, 
to  receive  glory,  and  honor,  and  power." — Rev.  4:11; 
Matt.  10  37;  Jer.  2:  12,  13. 

**Go  ye  therefore  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them 
in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost." — Matt.  28:19;  John  15:26;  i  Cor.  12:4-6;  i 
John  5  :  7. 

III.       THE    FALL    OF    MAN. 

We  believe  the  Scriptures  teach  that  Man  was  created 
in  holiness,  under  the  law  of  his  Maker;  but  by  voluntary 
transgression  fell  from  that  holy  and  happy  state;  in  con- 
sequence of  which  all  mankind  are  now  sinners,  not  by 
constraint  but  choice;  being  by  nature  utterly  void  of  that 
holiness  required  by  the  law  of  God,  positively  inclined  to 
evil;  and  therefore  under  just  condemnation  to  eternal 
ruin,  without  defense  or  excuse. 


CREEDS  AND  CONFESSIONS.  545 

"God  created  man  in  His  own  image." — Gen.  i  127. 
**  And  God  saw  everything  that  He  had  made,  and  behold, 
it  was  very  good." — Gen.  i  :  31;  Eccles.  7  :  29;  Acts  17  : 
26;  Gen.  2  :  16. 

"  And  when  the  woman  saw  that  the  tree  was  good  for 
food,  and  that  it  was  pleasant  to  the  eyes,  and  a  tree  to 
be  desired  to  make  one  wise,  she  took  of  the  fruit  thereof, 
and  did  eat;  and  gave  also  unto  her  husband  with  her,  and 
he  did  eat." — Gen.  3  :  6-24;  Rom.  5  :  12. 

**  By  one  man's  disobedience  many  were  made  sin- 
ners."— Rom.  5  :  19;  John  3:6;  Ps.  51  :  6;  Rom.  5:15- 
19;  8:7. 

"  We  have  turned,  every  one  to  his  own  way." — Isa.  53: 
6;  Gen.  6:12;  Rom.  3  :  9-18. 

'*  Among  whom  also  we  all  had  our  conversation  in 
times  past  in  the  lusts  of  our  flesh,  fulfilling  the  desires  of 
the  flesh  and  of  the  mind;  and  were  by  nature  the  chil- 
dren of  wrath  even  as  others." — Eph.  2:3;  Rom.  i :  18; 
Rom.  I  :  32;  2  :  1-16;  Gal.  3  :  10;  Matt.  20 :  15. 

"The  soul  that  sinneth  it  shall  die." — Ezek.  18  :  19,  20. 
"  So  that  they  are  without  excuse.** — Rom.  i  :  20.  "  That 
every  mouth  may  be  stopped  and  and  all  the  world  may 
become  guilty  before  God."— Rom.  3  :  19;  Gal.  3  :  22. 

IV.     god's  purpose  of  grace. 

We  believe  the  Scriptures  teach  that  election  is  the 
eternal  purpose  of  God,  according  to  which  He  graciously 
regenerates,  sanctifies  and  saves  sinners;  that  being  per- 
fectly consistent  with  the  free  agency  of  man,  it  compre- 
hends all  the  means  in  connection  with  the  end;  that  it  is 
a  most  glorious  display  of  God's  sovereign  goodness,  being 
Infinitely  free,  wise,  holy  and  unchangeable;  that  it  utterly 
85 


546  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

excludes  boasting,  and  promotes  humility,  love,  prayer, 
praise,  trust  in  God,  and  active  imitation  of  His  free 
mercy;  that  it  encourages  the  use  of  means  in  the  highest 
degree;  that  it  may  be  ascertained  by  its  effects  in  all 
who  truly  believe  the  Gospel;  that  it  is  the  foundation  of 
Christian  assurance;  and  that  to  ascertain  it  with  regard 
to  ourselves  demands  and  deserves  the  utmost  diligence. 

"  But  be  thou  partaker  of  the  afflictions  of  the  Gospel,  ac- 
cording to  the  power  of  God;  who  hath  saved  us  and  called 
us  with  a  holy  calling,  not  according  to  our  works,  but  ac- 
cording to  His  own  purpose  and  grace  which  was  given  us 
in  Christ  Jesus  before  the  world  began." — 2  Tim.  i  :  8,  9, 

"  But  we  are  bound  to  give  thanks  always  to  God  for 
you,  brethren  beloved  of  the  Lord,  because  God  hath 
from  the  beginning  chosen  you  to  salvation,  through  sanc- 
tification  of  the  Spirit  and  belief  of  the  truth;  whereunto 
He  called  you  by  our  Gospel,  to  the  obtaining  of  the  glory 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." — 2  Thess.  2  :  13,  14. 

"  Therefore  I  endure  all  things  for  the  elects*  sake, 
that  they  also  may  obtain  the  salvation  which  is  in  Christ 
Jesus  with  eternal  glory." — 2  Tim.  2  :  10;  i  Cor.  9  :  22; 
Rom.  8  :  28-30;  John  6  :  37-40;  2  Pet.  1:10. 

"Knowing,  brethren  beloved,  your  election  of  God." — 
I  Thess.  4  :  TO. 

"  Moreover,  whom  He  did  predestinate,  them  He  also 
called,  and  whom  He  called,  them  He  also  justified,  and 
whom  He  justified,  them  He  also  glorified." — Rom.  8  :  28- 
30;  Isa.  42  :  16;  Rom.  11  :  29. 

V.       THE    WAY    OF    SALVATION. 

We  believe  the  Scriptures  teach  that  the  salvation 
of  sinners  is  wholly  of  grace;  through  the  mediatorial 


CREEDS  AND  CONFESSIONS.  547 

offices  of  the  Son  of  God;  who  according  to  the  will  of. 
the  Father,  assumed  our  nature,  yet  without  sin;  honored 
the  divine  law  by  His  personal  obedience,  and  by  His  death 
made  a  full  atonement  for  our  sins;  that  having  risen 
from  the  dead.  He  is  now  enthroned  in  heaven;  and  unit- 
ing in  His  wonderful  person  the  tenderest  sympathies  with 
divine  perfections.  He  is  every  way  qualified  to  be  a  suit- 
able, a  compassionate  and  an  all-sufficient  Savior. 

"  By  grace  ye  are   saved." — Eph.  2:5;  Matt.  18  :  11; 

1  John  4  :  10;  I  Cor.  3  :  5-7;  Acts  15  :  11. 

"For  God  so  loved  the  world  that  He  gave  His  only 
begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  Him  should  not. 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life." — John  3  :  16;  John  i  : 
1-14;  Heb.  4  :  14;  12  :  24. 

<<  Who  being  in  the  form  of  God,  thought  it  not  rob- 
bery to  be  equal  with  God;  but  made  himself  of  no  repu- 
tation, and  took  upon  Him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  was 
made  in  the  likeness  of  men." — Phil.  2  :  6,  7;  Heb.  2:9; 

2  :  14;  2  Cor.  5  :  21. 

"  He  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions.  He  was  bruised 
for  our  iniquities;  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon 
Him;  and  with  His  stripes  we  are  healed." — Isa.  53:  4,  5. 

<<  Wherefore  He  is  able  also  to  save  them  to  the  utter- 
most that  come  unto  God  by  Him,  seeing  He  ever  liveth 
to  make  intercession  for  them." — Heb.  7  :  25.  "  For  in 
Him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily." — 
Col.  2  :  9;  Heb.  2  :  18;  Heb.  7  :  26. 

VI.       OF     REGENERATION. 

We  believe  the  Scriptures  teach  that  regeneration^  or  the 
new  birth,  is  that  change  wrought  in  the  soul  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  by  which  a  new  nature  and  a  spiritual  life, 


548  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

not  before  possessed,  are  imparted,  and  the  person  be- 
comes a  new  creation  in  Christ  Jesus;  a  holy  disposition 
is  given  to  the  mind,  the  will  subdued,  the  dominion  of 
sin  broken,  and  the  affections  changed  from  a  love  of  sin 
and  self,  to  a  love  of  holiness  and  God;  the  change  is  in- 
stantaneous, effected  solely  by  the  power  of  God,  in  a 
manner  incomprehensible  to  reason;  the  evidence  of  it  is 
found  in  a  changed  disposition  of  mind,  the  fruits  of 
righteousness,  and  a  newness  of  life.  And  without  it  salva- 
tion  is  impossible. 

"  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  except  a  man  be  born 
again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God," — John  3  :  13. 

**  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh;  that  which  is 
born  of  the  spirit  is  spirit." — John  3  :  6. 

"  Born  again,  not  of  corruptible  seed,  but  of  incorrupti- 
ble, by  the  Word  of  God.'*— i  Pet.  i  :  23. 

**0f  His  own  will  begat  He  us,  with  the  word  of 
truth." — James  i  :  18. 

"  If  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature.^' — 2 
Cor.  5:  17. 

"Ye  know  that  every  one  that  doeth  righteousness  is 
born  of  Him." — i  John  2  :  29. 

"And  that  ye  put  on  the  new  man,  which  after  God  is 
created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness." — Eph.  4:  24. 

"  And  you  being  dead  in  your  sins,  and  the  uncircum- 
cision  of  your  flesh,  hath  He  quickened  together  with 
Him."— Col.  2  :  13. 

"  But  yield  yourselves  unto  God,  as  those  that  are  alive 
from  the  dead." — Rom.  6:13. 

"Who  hath  delivered  us  from  the  power  of  darkness  and 
hath  translated  us  into  the  kingdom  of  His  dear  Son." — 
Col.  I  :  13. 


CREEDS  AND  CONFESSIONS.  549 

"  Which  were  born  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the 
flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God." — John  i  :  13. 

"  And  such  were  some  of  you,  but  ye  are  washed,  but 
ye  are  sanctified,  but  ye  are  justified,  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God." — i  Cor.  6:11. 

VII.       OF     REPENTANCE. 

We  believe  the  Scriptures  teach  that  repentance  is  a  per- 
sonal act,  prompted  by  the  Spirit;  and  consists  in  a  godly 
sorrow  for  sin,  as  offensive  to  God  and  ruinous  to  the  soul; 
that  it  is  accompanied  with  great  humiliation  in  view  of 
one's  sin  and  guilt,  together  with  prayer  for  pardon;  also 
by  sincere  hatred  of  sin,  and  a  persistent  turning  away 
from,  and  abandonment  of,  all  that  is  evil  and  unholy. 
Since  none  are  sinless  in  this  life,  repentance  needs  to  be 
often  repeated. 

"  In  those  days  came  John  the  Baptist  preaching  in  the 
wilderness  of  Judea,  and  saying.  Repent:  for  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  is  at  hand." — Matt.  3  :  i,  2. 

*'  From  that  time  Jesus  began  to  preach,  and  to  say,  Re- 
pent: for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand." — Matt.  4:17. 

*'  Saying,  The  time  is  fulfilled,  and  the  kingdom  of  God 
is  at  hand:  repent  ye  and  believe  the  Gospel." — Mark 

i:  15- 

"Repent  ye  therefore  and  be  converted,  that  your  sins 
may  be  blotted  out." — Acts  3  :  19. 

*'  The  times  of  this  ignorance  God  overlooked,  but  now 
He  commandeth  all  men  everywhere  to  repent." — Acts 
17  130. 

**  Testifying  both  to  the  Jews  and  also  to  the  Greeks, 
repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ." — Acts  20  :  21. 


550  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

•*  Godly  sorrow  worketh  repentance  to  salvation,  not  to 
be  repented  of." — 2  Cor.  7  :  2, 

"  And  that  repentance  and  remission  of  sins  should  be 
preached  in  His  name,  among  all  nations,  beginning  at 
Jerusalem." — Luke  24  :  47. 

"Him  hath  God  exalted  with  His  right  hand  to  be  a 
Prince  and  a  Savior,  to  give  repentance  to  Israel,  and 
remission  of  sins." — Acts  5:31. 

"But  thou,  after  thy  hardness  and  impenitent  heart, 
treasurest  up  unto  thyself  wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath, 
and  revelation  of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God." — Rom. 

2:5. 

"  Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the  unrighteous 
man  his  thoughts;  and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and 
He  will  have  mercy  upon  him;  and  to  our  God,  for  He 
will  abundantly  pardon." — Isa.  4  :  7. 

VIII.       OF    FAITH. 

We  believe  the  Scriptures  teach  that  faith^  as  an  evan- 
gelical grace  wrought  by  the  Spirit,  is  the  medium 
through  which  Christ  is  received  by  the  soul  as  its  sacri- 
fice and  Savior.  It  is  an  assent  of  the  mind  and  a  con- 
sent of  the  heart,  consisting  mainly  of  belief  and  trust; 
the  testimony  of  God  is  implicitly  accepted  and  believed 
as  true,  while  Christ  is  unreservedly  trusted  for  sal- 
vation; by  it  the  believer  is  brought  into  vital  relations 
with  God,  freely  justified,  and  lives  as  seeing  Him  who  is 
invisible.  Faith  cannot  save,  but  it  reveals  Christ  to  the 
soul  as  a  willing  and  sufficient  Savior,  and  commits  the 
heart  and  life  to  Him. 

"  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be 
saved." — Acts  16  :  31. 


CREEDS   AND   CONFESSIONS.  55  I 

"  For  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness,  to 
every  one  that  believeth." — Rom.  10  :  3. 

"  Therefore,  being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with 
God,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." — Rom.  5  :  i. 

"  Now,  faith  is  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,  the 
evidence  of  things  not  seen." — Heb.  11  :  i. 

"  But  without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God." — 
Heb.  II  :  6. 

"  For  therein  is  the  righteousness  of  God  revealed  from 
faith  to  faith;  as  it  is  written.  The  just  shall  live  by 
faith." — Rom.  i  :  17. 

**  And  the  Scripture  was  fulfilled  which  saith,  Abraham 
believed  God,  and  and  it  was  imputed  to  him  for  right- 
eousness."— James  2  :  23. 

"  Blessed  is  the  man  who  trusteth  in  the  Lord,  and 
whose  hope  the  Lord  is." — Jer.  17  .-7. 
-    "  They  that  trust  in  the  Lord,shall  be  as  Mount  Zion  which 
cannot  be  removed,  but  abideth  forever." — Ps.  125  :  i. 
'    "  The  Lord  redeemeth  the  soul  of  his  servants,  and  none 
of  them  that  trust  in  Him  shall  be  desolate." — Ps.  34  :  22. 

"  For  we  walk  by  faith,  not  by  sight." — 2  Cor.  5  :  7. 

"Even  the  righteousness  of  God,  which  is  by  faith  of 
Jesus  Christ,  unto  all,  and  upon  all  them  that  believe." — 
Rom.  3  :  22. 

"  With  the  heart  man  believeth  unto  righteousness,  and 
with  the  mouth  confession  is  made  unto  salvation." — 
Rom.  10  :  10. 

IX.      OF   JUSTIFICATION. 

We  believe  the  Scriptures  teach  that  the  great  Gospel 
blessing  which  Christ  secures  to  such  as  believe  in  Him 
is  justification;  that  justification  includes  the  pardon  of 


552  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

sin,  and  the  promise  of  eternal  life  on  principles  of  right- 
eousness; that  it  is  bestowed,  not  in  consideration  of  any 
works  of  righteousness  which  we  have  done,  but  solely 
through  faith  in  the  Redeemer's  blood;  by  virtue  of  which 
faith  His  perfect  righteousness  is  freely  imputed  to  us  of 
God;  that  it  brings  us  into  a  state  of  most  blessed  peace 
and  favor  with  God,  and  secures  every  other  blessing 
needful  for  time  and  eternity. 

**0f  His  fulness  have  all  we  received." — John  i  :  i6; 
Eph.  3  :  8. 

**  By  Him  all  that  believe  are  justified  from  all  things." — 
Acts  13  :  39;  Isa.  3:11,  12;  Rom.  8  :  i. 

"  Being  justified  by  His  blood,  we  shall  be  saved  from 
wrath  through  Him." — Rom.  5:9;  Zech.  13  :  i;  Matt.  9: 
6;  Acts  10  :  43. 

"  Being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God, 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ:  by  whom  also  we  have 
access  by  faith  into  this  grace  wherein  we  stand,  and  re- 
joice in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God." — Rom.  5  :  i,  2;  Rom. 
5:3;  Rom.  5:11;  I  Cor.  i  130,  31;  Matt.  6:33;  i  Tim. 
4:8. 

X.       OF   ADOPTION. 

We  believe  the  Scriptures  teach  that  adoption  is  a  gra- 
cious act,  by  which  the  Father,  for  the  sake  of  Christ,  ac- 
cepts believers  to  the  estate  and  condition  of  children,  by 
a  new  and  spiritual  birth;  sending  the  Spirit  of  adoption 
into  their  hearts,  whereby  they  become  members  of  the 
family  of  God,  and  entitled  to  all  the  rights,  privileges 
and  promises  of  children;  and  if  children,  then  heirs,  heirs 
of  God,  and  joint-heirs  with  Jesus  Christ,  to  the  heritage 
of  the  saints  on  earth,  and  an  inheritance  reserved  in 
heaven  for  them. 


CREEDS  AND  CONFESSIONS.  553 

"  For  as  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are 
the  sons  of  God." — Rom.  8  :  14. 

"  But  ye  have  received  the  spirit  of  adoption,  whereby 
we  cry,  Abba,  Father."— Rom.  8  :  15. 

"  The  Spirit  Himself  beareth  witness  with  our  spirit, 
that  we  are  the  children  of  God." — Rom.  8  :  16. 

"For  ye  are  the  children  of  God,  by  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ."— Gal.  3  :  26. 

"  And  because  ye  are  sons,  God  hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit 
of  His  Son  into  your  hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father." — Gal. 
4:6. 

"  Wherefore  thou  art  no  more  a  servant,  but  a  son:  and 
if  a  son,  then  an  heir  of  God  through  Jesus  Christ.'* — Gal. 

4:7- 

"  Having  foreordained  us  unto  the  adoption  of  children, 
through  Jesus  Christ." — Eph.  i  :  5. 

"  Behold  what  manner  of  love  the  Father  hath  bestowed 
upon  us,  that  we  should  be  called  the  sons  of  God." — i 
John  3  :  I. 

"  To  redeem  them  that  are  under  the  law  that  we  might 
receive  the  adoption  of  sons." — Gal.  4  :  5. 

*'  If  ye  endure  chastening,  God  dealeth  with  you  as  with 
sons." — Heb.  12  :  7. 

*'  But  ye  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  royal  priesthood,  a 
peculiar  people:  that  ye  should  show  forth  the  praises  of 
Him  who  hath  called  you  out  of  darkness  into  His  mar- 
velous light." — I  Peter  2  :  9. 

XI.      OF   SANCTiriCATION. 

We  believe  the  Scriptures  teach  that  sanctification  is  the 
process  by  which,  according  to  the  will  of  God,  we  are 
made  partakers  of  His  holiness;  that  it  is  a  progressive 


"554  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

work;  that  it  is  begun  in  regeneration;  that  it  is  carried 
on  in  the  hearts  of  believers  by  the  presence  and  power  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  the  Sealer  and  Comforter,  in  the  contin- 
ual use  of  the  appointed  means — especially  the  Word  of 
God,  self-examination,  self-denial,  watchfulness,  and 
prayer;  and  in  the  practice  of  all  godly  exercises  and 
duties. 

<*  For  this  is  the  will  of  God,  even  your  sanctification." — 
2  Thess.  4:3.  "  And  the  very  God  of  peace  sanctify  you 
wholly."— I  Thess.  5  :  23;  2   Cor.  7:1;  13  :  9;  Eph.  i :  4. 

**The  path  of  the  just  is  as  the  shining  light,  which 
shineth  more  and  more,  unto  the  perfect  day." — Prov.  4: 
18;  2  Cor.  3  :  18;  Heb.  6  :  i;  2  Pet.  i  ;  5-8;  Phile.  12-16. 

*<  Work  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling, 
for  it  is  God  which  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do, 
of  His  good  pleasure." — Phil.  2  :  12,  13;  Eph.  4  :  11,  12; 
I  Pet.  2  :  2;  2  Pet.  3  :  18;  2  Cor.  13  :  5. 

**  Exercise  thyself  unto  godliness. "^i  Tim.  4  :  7. 

XII.       THE    PERSEVERANCE    OF    SAINTS. 

We  believe  the  Scriptures  teach  that  such  as  are  truly 
regenerate,  being  born  of  the  Spirit,  will  not  utterly  fall 
away  and  finally  perish,  but  will  endure  unto  the  end; 
that  their  persevering  attachment  to  Christ  is  the  grand 
mark  which  distinguishes  them  from  superficial  professors; 
that  a  special  Providence  watches  over  their  welfare;  and 
they  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God  through  faith  unto  sal- 
vation. 

"  And  this  is  the  Father's  will  that  hath  sent  me,  that  of 
all  which  He  hath  given  me,  I  should  lose  nothing,  but 
should  raise  it  up  again  at  the  last  day." — John  6  :  39. 

**  Then  said  Jesus,  If  ye  continue  in  my  word,  then  are 


CREEDS  AND   CONFESSIONS.  555 

ye  my  disciples  indeed." — John  8  :  31;  i  John  2  :  27,  28; 
3:9;  5  :i8. 

"  They  went  out  from  us,  but  they  were  not  of  us;  for 
if  they  had  been  of  us,  they  would  no  doubt  have  contin- 
ued with  us;  but  they  went  out  that  it  might  be  made 
manifest  that  they  were  not  all  of  us." — John  2  :  19;  John 
13  :  18;  Matt.  13  :  20,  21;  John  6  :  66-69. 

"  And  we  know  all  things  work  together  for  good  unto 
them  that  love  God,  to  them  who  are  the  called  according 
to  His  purpose." — Rom.  8  :  28;  Matt.  6  :  30-33. 

"  He  who  hath  begun  a  good  work  in  you  will  perform 
it  until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ." — Phil.  1:6;  Phil.  2  :  12, 
13;  Jude  24,25;  Heb.  i  :  14;  13  15;  John  4:4. 

XIII.       THE    LAW    ANQ    THE    GOSPEL. 

We  believe  the  Scriptures  teach  that  the  Law  of  God  is 
the  eternal  and  unchangeable  rule  of  His  moral  govern- 
ment; that  it  is  holy,  just,  and  good;  and  that  the  inabil- 
ity which  the  Scriptures  ascribe  to  fallen  men  to  fulfill  its 
precepts  arises  entirely  from  their  sinful  nature;  to  deliver 
them  from  which,  and  to  restore  them  through  a  Media- 
tor to  unfeigned  obedience  to  the  holy  Law,  is  one  great 
end  of  the  Gospel,  and  of  the  Means  of  Grace  connected 
with  the  establishment  of  the  visible  Church. 

"  Do  we  make  void  the  law  through  faith  ?  God  forbid. 
Yea,  we  establish  the  law." — Rom.  3:31;  Matt.  5  117; 
Luke  16  :  17;  Rom.  3  :  20;  4:15. 

"  The  law  is  holy,  and  the  commandment  holy,  and 
just,  and  good." — Rom.  7  :  12;  Rom.  7  :  7,  14,  22;  Gal. 
3  :  21;  Psalm  119. 

"The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God;  for  it  is  not 
subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed   can  be.     So 


556  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

then  they  that  are  in  the  flesh  cannot  please  God." — Rom. 
8  :  7,  8. 

"  For  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  Life  in  Christ  Jesus  hath 
made  me  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death.  For  what 
the  law  could  not  do,  in  that  it  was  weak  through  the  flesh, 
God  sending  His  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh, 
and  for  sin,  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh;  that  the  right- 
eousness of  the  law  might  be  fulfilled  in  us,  who  walk  not 
after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit." — Rom.  8:2,  4;  Rom. 

10  : 4;  I  Tim.  1:5;  Heb.  8  :  10. 

XIV.       A    GOSPEL   CHURCH. 

We  believe  the  Scriptures  teach  that  a  visible  Church 
of  Christ  is  a  congregation  of  baptized  believers,  asso- 
ciated by  covenant  in  the  faith  and  fellowship  of  the  Gos- 
pel; observing  the  ordinances  of  Christ;  governed  by  His 
laws;  and  exercising  the  gifts,  rights,  and  privileges  in- 
vested in  them  by  His  word;  that  its  only  scriptural 
officers  are  bishops  or  pastors,  and  deacons,  whose  qual- 
ifications, claims,  and  duties  are  defined  in  the  Epistles  to 
Timothy  and  Titus. 

**  Then  they  that  gladly  received  His  word  were  bap- 
tized ;  and  the  same  day  there  were  added  to  them  about 
three  thousand  souls." — Acts  2  :  41,  42;  Acts  5:11;  8:1*, 

11  :3i;  I  Cor.  4:  17;  i  Tim.  3:5. 

"  They  first  gave  their  own  selves  to  the  Lord,  and  unto 
us  by  the  will  of  God." — 2  Cor.  8:5;  Acts  2  :  47;  i  Cor. 
5  :ii,  18. 

"Now  I  praise  you,  brethren,  that  ye  remember  me 
in  all  things,  and  keep  the  ordinances  as  I  delivered  them 
to  you." — I  Cor.  11:2;  2  Thess.  3:7;  Rom.  16  :  17-20; 
I  Cor.  II  :  23;  Matt.  18  :  15-20;   i  Cor.  5  :  5. 


CREEDS  AND  CONFESSIONS.  5 $7 

"  Teaching  them  to  observe  al'  things  whatsoever  I  have 
commanded  you." — Matt.  28  :  20;  John  14  :  15;  15:  10;  i 
John  4  :  21;  I  Thess.  4:2;  2  John  6. 

"With  the  bishops  and  deacons." — Phil.  1:1;  Acts 
14  :  23;  15  :  22;  I  Tim  3;  Titus  i. 

XV.       CHRISTIAN      BAPTISM. 

We  believe  the  Scriptures  teach  that  Christian  Baptism 
is  the  immersion  in  water  of  a  believer  in  Christ,  into  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost;  to  show 
forth,  in  a  solemn  and  beautiful  emblem,  our  faith  in  the 
crucified,  buried,  and  risen  Savior,  with  its  effect,  in  our 
death  to  sin  and  resurrection  to  a  new  life;  that  it  is  pre- 
requisite to  the  privileges  of  a  Church  relation,  and  to  the 
Lord's  Supper. 

"  And  the  eunuch  said.  See,  here  is  water;  what  doth  hin- 
der me  to  be  baptized  ?  And  Philip  said,  If  thou  believ- 
est  with  all  thy  heart  thou  mayest.  .  .  .  And  they 
went  down  into  the  water,  both  Philip  and  the  eunuch,  and 
he  baptized  him." — Acts  8  :  36-39;  Matt.  3  :  5,  6;  John 
3  :  22,  23;  4  :  I,  2;  Matt.  28  :  19;  Mark  16  :  16;  Acts  2  : 
38;  8  :  12;  16:32-34;  18:8. 

"  Baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost." — Matt.  18  :  19;  Acts  10: 
47,  48;  Gal.  3  :  27,  28. 

"  Therefore  we  are  buried  with  Him  by  baptism  into 
death;  that  like  as  Christ  was  raised  from  the  dead  by  the 
glory  of  the  Father,  even  so  we  also  should  walk  in  new- 
ness of  life." — Rom.  6:4;  Col.  2:12;  i  Peter  3  :  20,  21; 
Acts  22  :  16. 

"  Then  they  that  gladly  received  His  word  were  bap- 
tized, and  there  were  added  to  them,  the  same  day,  about 


SS^  THE  NEW   DIRECTORY. 

three  thousand  souls.  And  they  continued  steadfastly  in 
the  Apostles'  doctrine  and  fellowship,  and  in  breaking  of 
bread,  and  in  prayers." — Acts  2 :  41,  42 ;  Matt.  28:19,  20. 

XVI.       THE    lord's    supper. 

We  believe  the  Scriptures  teach  that  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per is  a  provision  of  bread  and  wine,  as  symbols  of 
Christ's  body  and  blood,  partaken  of  by  the  members  of 
the  Church,  in  commemoration  of  the  suffering  and  death 
of  their  Lord;  showing  their  faith  and  participation  in  the 
merits  of  His  sacrifice,  and  their  hope  of  eternal  life 
through  His  resurrection  from  the  dead;  its  observance  to 
be  preceded  by  faithful  self-examination. 

"  And  He  took  bread,  and  gave  thanks,  and  brake,  and 
gave  unto  them,  saying.  This  is  my  body  which  is  given 
for  you;  this  do  in  remembrance  of  me.  Likewise  also 
the  cup  after  supper,  saying.  This  cup  is  the  New  Testa- 
ment in  my  blood,  which  is  shed  for  you." — Luke  22  : 
19,  20;  Mark  14  :  20-26;  Matt.  26  :  27-30;  i  Cor.  11  :  27- 
30;  I  Cor.  10  :  16. 

"  For,  as  often  as  ye  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup, 
ye  do  show  the  Lord's  death  until  He  come." — i  Cor.  11: 
26;  Matt.  28  :  20. 

*'  But  let  a  man  examine  himself,  and  so  let  him  eat  of 
that  bread,  and  drink  of  that  cup." — i  Cor.  11  :  28;  Acts 
2  142,  46;  20  17,  II. 

"And  they  continued  steadfastly  in  the  apostles*  doc- 
trine and  fellowship,  and  in  breaking  of  bread  and  in 
prayers." — Acts  2  :  42. 

XVII.       THE    CHRISTIAN    SABBATH. 

We  believe  the  Scriptures  teach  that  the  first  day  of  the 


CREEDS  AND  CONFESSIONS.  $$g 

week  is  the  Lord's  Day;  and  is  to  be  kept  sacred  to  re- 
ligious purposes,  by  abstaining  from  all  secular  labor,  ex- 
cept works  of  mercy  and  necessity,  by  the  devout  observ- 
ance of  all  the  means  of  grace,  both  private  and  public; 
and  by  preparation  for  that  rest  that  remaineth  for  the 
people  of  God. 

"  On  the  first  day  of  the  week,  when  the  disciples  came 
together  to  break  bread,  Paul  preached  to  them." — Acts 
20  :  7;  Gen.  2:3;  Col.  2  :  16,  17;  Mark  2  :  27;  John  20  : 
19;  I  Cor.  16  :  I,  2. 

"  Remember  the  Sabbath  Day,  to  keep  it  holy." — Ex. 
20  :  8.  "I  was  in  the  Spirit  on  the  Lord's  Day." — Rev.  1 : 
10;  Ps.  118 :  24. 

"  If  thou  turn  away  thy  foot  from  the  Sabbath,  from 
doing  thy  pleasure  on  my  holy  day;  and  call  the  Sabbath 
a  delight,  the  holy  of  the  Lord,  honorable;  and  shalt  honor 
Him,  not  doing  thine  own  ways,  nor  finding  thine  own 
pleasure,  nor  speaking  thine  own  words;  then  shalt  thou 
delight  thyself  in  the  Lord,  and  I  will  cause  thee  to  ride 
upon  the  high  places  of  the  earth,  and  feed  thee  with  the 
heritage  of  Jacob." — Isa.  58  :  13,  14;  Isa.  56  :  2-8. 

*'Not  forsaking  the  assembling  of  yourselves  together, 
as  the  manner  of  some  is." — Heb.  10  :  24,  25.  **  The  next 
Sabbath  Day  came  almost  the  whole  city  together  to  hear 
the  Word  of  God."— Acts  13  :  44- 

"  Let  us  labor,  therefore,  to  enter  into  that  rest." — Heb. 
4:3-11. 

XVIII.      CIVIL    GOVERNMENT. 

We  believe  the  Scriptures  teach  that  civil  government 
is  of  divine  appointment,  for  the  interest  and  good  order 
of  human  society;  and  that  magistrates  are  to  be  prayed 


560  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

for,  conscientiously  honored  and  obeyed,  except  only  in 
things  opposed  to  the  will  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who 
is  the  only  Lord  of  the  conscience,  and  the  Prince  of  the 
kings  of  the  earth.  But  that  civil  rulers  have  no  rights  of 
control  over,  or  of  interference  with,  religious  matters. 

"  The  powers  that  be  are  ordained  of  God.  For  rulers 
are  not  a  terror  to  good  works,  but  to  the  evil." — Rom.  13: 

"  Be  subject  to  every  ordinance  of  man,  for  the  Lord's 
sake.'* — I  Pet.  2  :  13. 

"  Render  therefore  unto  Caesar  the  things  that  are 
Caesar's,  and  unto  God  the  things  that  are  God's." — Matt. 
22  :  21;  Titus  3  :  i;  I  Pet.  2  :  13;  i  Tim.  2  :  1-8. 

"  We  ought  to  obey  God  rather  than  man." — Acts  5  :  29. 
"  Fear  not  them  which  kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to 
kill  the  soul." — Matt.  10  :  28;  Dan.  3  :  15-18;  6  :  7,  10; 
Acts  4  :  18-20. 

"Ye  have  one  Master,  even  Christ." — Matt.  23  :  10. 
"Who  art  thou  that  judgest  another  man's  servant  ?  " — 
Rom.  14:4.  "  And  He  hath  on  His  vesture  and  on  His 
thigh  a  name  written.  King  of  Kings  and  Lord  of 
Lords." — Rev.  19  :  14;  Ps.  72  :  11;  Ps.  2;  Rom.  14  :  9-13. 

XIX.       RIGHTEOUS    AND    WICKED. 

We  believe  the  Scriptures  teach  that  there  is  a  radical 
and  essential  difference  between  the  righteous  and  the 
wicked;  that  such  only  as  through  faith  are  justified  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  sanctified  by  the  Spirit  of 
our  God,  are  truly  righteous  in  His  esteem;  while  all  such 
as  continue  in  impenitence  and  unbelief  are,  in  His 
sight,  wicked  and  under  the  curse;  and  this  distinction 
holils  among  men  both  in  this  life  and  after  death. 


CREEDS   AND   CONFESSIONS.  561 

"  Ye  shall  discern  between  the  righteous  and  the  wicked; 
between  him  that  serveth  God  and  him  that  serveth  Him 
not."— Mai.  3  :  18;  Prov.  12  :  26;  Isa.  5  :  20;  Gen.  18  : 
23;  Jer.  15  :  19;  Acts  10  :  34,  35;  Rom.  6  :  16. 

"  The  just  shall  live  by  faith." — Rom.  1:17.  "  If  ye 
know  that  He'  is  righteous,  ye  know  that  every  one  that 
doeth  righteousness  is  born  of  Him." — Rom.  7:6;  1  John 
3:7;  Rom.  6  :  18,  22 ;   i  Cor.  11  :  32. 

"  And  we  know  that  we  are  of  God,  and  the  whole  world 
lieth  in  wickedness." — i  John  5:19.  "As  many  as  are  of 
the  works  of  the  law,  are  under  the  curse." — Gal.  3  :  10; 
John  3  :  36;  Isa.  57  :  21 ;  Ps.  10  : 4;  Isa.  55  :  6,  7. 

"The  wicked  is  driven  away  in  his  wickedness,  but  the 
righteous  hath  hope  in  his  death." — Prov.  14:32.  "  Thou 
in  thy  lifetime  receivedst  thy  good  things,  and  likewise 
Lazarus  evil  things;  but  now  he  is  comforted,  and  thou 
art  tormented." — Luke  16  :  25;  John  8  :  21-24;  Luke  12: 
4,  5;  II  :  23-26;  John  12  :  25,  26;  Matt.  7  :  13,  14. 

XX.       THE    WORLD    TO    COME. 

We  believe  the  Scriptures  teach  that  the  end  of  the  world 
is  approaching;  that  at  the  Last  Day,  Christ  will  descend 
from  heaven,  and  raise  the  dead  from  the  grave  for  final 
retribution;  that  a  solemn  separation  will  then  take  place; 
that  the  wicked  will  be  adjudged  to  endless  sorrow,  and  the 
righteous  to  endless  joy;  and  this  judgment  will  fix  for- 
ever the  final  state  of  men  in  heaven  or  hell,  on  principles 
of  righteousness 

"But  the  end  of  all  things  is  at  hand;  be  ye  therefore 
sober, and  watch  unto  prayer." — i  Pet.  4:7;  i  Cor.  7  :  29- 
31;  Heb.  I  :  10-12;  Matt.  24  135;  i  John  2  :  17;  Matt 
28  :  20. 


562  THE   NEW   DIRECtOkV. 

"  This  same  Jesus,  which  is  taken  up  from  you  into 
heaven,  shall  so  come  in  like  manner  as  ye  have  seen  Him 
go  into  heaven." — Acts  i:ii;  Rev.  1:7;  Heb.  9:28; 
Acts  3:21. 

"  There  shall  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  both  of  the 
just  and  unjust." — Acts  24:  15;  i  Cor.  15  :  12-58;  Luke 
14  :  14;  Dan.  12:2;  John  5  :  28,  29;    6  :  40;    11  :  25,  26; 

2  Tim.  I  :  10;  Acts  10  :  42. 

**  The  angels  shall  come  forth,  and  sever  the  wicked 
from  among  the  just." — Matt.  13  :  49;  Matt.  13  :  37-43;  24: 

3o>  31- 

"  And  these  shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment, 
but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal.** — Matt.  25  :  35-41. 
'<  He  that  is  unjust  let  him  be  unjust  still;  and  he  which 
is  filthy  let  him  be  filthy  still;  and  he  that  is  righteous  let 
him  be  righteous  still;  and  he  that  is  holy  let  him  be  holy 
still." — Rev.  22  :  11:  i  Cor.  6:  9,  10;  Mark  9  143-48;  2 
Pet.  2  :  9. 

"  Seeing  it  is  a  righteous  thing  with  God  to  recompense 
tribulation  to  them  who  trouble  you,  and  to  you  who  are 
troubled,  rest  with  us  when  He  shall  come  to  be  glorified 
in  His  saints,  and  to  be  admired  in  all  them  that  be- 
lieve."— 2  Thess.  I  :  6-12;  Heb.  6  :  i,  2;   i  Cor.  4  :  5. 

"  Seeing  then  that  all  these  things  shall  be  dis- 
solved, WHAT  MANNER  OF  PERSONS  OUGHT  YE  TO  BE  IN  ALL 
HOLY  CONVERSATION  AND  GODLINESS,  LOOKING  FOR  AND 
HASTING  UNTO  THE  COMING  OF  THE  DAY    OF   GOD  ?  " 2  Pet. 

3  :ii,  12. 

COVENANT. 

Having  been,  as  we  trust,  brought  by  divine  grace  to 
embrace  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,   and  to  give  ourselves 


CREEDS   AND   CONFESSIONS.  563 

wholly  to  Him,  we  do  now  solemnly  and  joyfully  cove- 
nant with  each  other,  to  walk  together  in  him,  with 
BROTHERLY  LOVE,  to  His  glory,  as  our  common  Lord.  We 
do,  therefore,  in  His  strength,  engage — 

That  we  will  exercise  a  Christian  care  and  watchfulness 
over  each  other,  and  faithfully  warn,  exhort,  and  admon- 
ish each  other  as  occasion  may  require: 

That  we  will  not  forsake  the  assembling  of  ourselves 
together,  but  will  uphold  the  public  worship  of  God,  and 
the  ordinances  of  His  house: 

That  we  will  not  omit  closet  and  family  religion  at 
home,  nor  neglect  the  great  duty  of  religiously  training 
our  children,  and  those  under  our  care,  for  the  service  of 
Christ,  and  the  enjoyment  of  heaven: 

That,  as  we  are  the  light  of  the  world,  and  salt  of  the 
earth,  we  will  seek  divine  aid  to  enable  us  to  deny  ungod- 
liness, and  every  worldly  lust,  and  to  walk  circumspectly 
in  the  world,  that  we  may  win  the  souls  of  men: 

That  we  will  cheerfully  contribute  of  our  property,  ac- 
cording as  God  has  prospered  us,  for  the  maintenance  of 
a  faithful  and  evangelical  ministry  among  us,  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  poor,  and  to  spread  the  Gospel  over  the  earth: 

That  we  will  in  all  conditions,  even  till  death,  strive  to 
to  live  to  the  glory  of  Him  who  hath  called  us  out  of 
darkness  into  His  marvelous  light. 

"  And  may  the  god  of  peace,  who  brought  again 

FROM  the  dead  OUR  LORD  JESUS,  THAT  GREAT  SHEPHERD 
OF  THE  SHEEP,  THROUGH  THE  BLOOD  OF  THE  EVERLASTING 
COVENANT,  MAKE  US  PERFECT  IN  EVERY  GOOD  WORK,  TO  DO 
HIS  WILL,  WORKING  IN  US  THAT  WHICH  IS  WELL  PLEASING 
IN  HIS  SIGHT  THROUGH  JESUS  CHRIST;  TO  WHOM  BE  GLORY, 
FOREVER  AND  EVER.      AmEN." 


B.    OPTIONAL  RESOLUTIONS. 

A  Christian  Church  should  be  recognized,  in  the  com- 
munity where  it  is  located,  as  professing  and  maintaining 
a  higher  standard  of  morality  than  that  of  worldly  society 
about  it.  It  should  be  the  avowed  friend,  defender,  and 
example  of  all  the  virtues,  and  the  uncompromising  op- 
ponent of  all  wrong  and  evil.  So  carefully  should  they 
bear  themselves,  not  only  as  individuals,  but  as  a  corpo- 
rate society,  as  to  command  the  respect  of  the  world,  and 
have  a  good  report  of  them  that  are  without.  Divinely 
set  forth  as  a  light  to  the  world,  and  as  the  salt  of  the 
earth,  they  should  recognize  their  commission,  and  be 
true  to  it.  In  all  that  is  pure,  irreproachable,  and  of  good 
report,  the  pastor  should  be  the  wise  and  courageous 
teacher,  leader,  and  example  of  the  flock. 

There  are  certain  questions  of  moral  reform  and  social 
good  order,  in  respect  to  which  there  is  often  a  wide  differ- 
ence of  opinion,  but  in  respect  to  which  the  churches 
should  have  settled  convictions,  and  hold  a  well-defined 
attitude.  It  is  not  wise  to  put  definitions  and  restrictions 
touching  such  questions  into  covenants  or  articles  of  faith. 
Nor  does  it  seem  wise  to  construct  elaborate  constitutions 
and  by-laws  for  the  guidance  of  a  Church,  to  forestall 
possible  violations  of  the  code  of  Christian  morals.  A 
better  way  is,  for  it,  after  due  consideration,  to  adopt  a 
standing  resolution  on  each  such  subject  claiming  atten- 

564 


OPTIONAL    RESOLUTIONS.  565 

tion,  to  be  placed  on  its  records  as  a  guide  for  future  ac- 
tion as  to  such  subjects. 

Something  like  the  following,  to  be  varied  at  the  option 
of  the  body,  would  serve  as  a  declaration  of  principles 
and  guide  for  action: 

1.  Resolved^  That  this  Church  expects  every  member 
to  contribute  statedly  to  its  financial  support,  according 
to  his  ability,  as  God  has  prospered  him;  and  that  a  re- 
fusal to  do  this  will  be  considered  a  breach  of  covenant. 

2.  Resolved^  That  this  Church  will  entertain  and  con- 
tribute to  Home  and  Foreign  Missions,  and  to  other  lead- 
ing objects  of  Christian  benevolence,  approved  and  sup- 
ported by  our  denomination. 

3.  Resolved^  That  the  religious  education  of  the  young, 
and  Bible  study,  as  represented  in  Sunday-school  work, 
commend  themselves  to  our  confidence,  and  we  will,  to 
the  extent  of  our  ability,  give  them  our  aid,  by  both  our 
personal  cooperation  and  our  contributions,  as  we  are 
able. 

4.  Resolved^  That  in  our  opinion  the  use  of  intoxicat- 
ing drinks  as  a  beverage,  and  also  the  manufacture  and 
sale  of  the  same  for  that  purpose,  are  contrary  to  Chris- 
tian morals,  injurious  to  personal  piety,  and  a  hindrance 
to  the  Gospel;  therefore,  persons  so  using,  making  or 
selling,  are  thereby  disqualified  for  membership  in  this 
Church. 

5.  Resolvedy  That  we  emphatically  discountenance 
and  condemn  the  practice  of  Church  members  frequent- 
ing theatres,  and  other  similar  places  of  amusement,  as 
inconsistent  with  a  Christian  profession,  detrimental  to 
personal  piety,  and  pernicious  in  the  influence  of  its  exam- 
ple on  others. 


566  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

6.  Resolved^  That  the  members  of  this  Church  are 
earnestly  requested  not  to  provide  for,  take  part  in,  or  by 
any  means  encourage  dancing  or  card  playing,  nor  furnish 
intoxicating  drinks  to  guests,  on  any  occasion;  but,  in  all 
consistent  ways  to  discountenance  the  same,  as  a  hindrance 
to  personal  godliness  in  their  associations  and  tendencies, 
a  stumbling-block  in  the  way  of  the  unconverted,  and  a 
grief  .to  brethren  whom  we  should  not  willingly  offend. 

7.  Resolved^  That  we  disapprove  of  Christians  con- 
necting themselves  with  secret,  oath-bound  societies,  as 
being  needless,  profitless,  and  an  offense  and  grief  to 
many  good  people,  and  not  conducive  to  piety  or  to  Chris- 
tian usefulness. 


C.    GLOSSARY  OF  AUTHORITIES. 

A  list  of  the  authorities  cited  in  the  foregoing  pages  is 
here  appended  for  the  satisfaction  of  readers.  The  fig* 
ures  which  follow  the  names  indicate  the  date  of  birth. 
The  abbreviations  show  denominational  connections  :  as, 
Epis.^  Episcopalian  ;  Presb.^  Presbyterian  ;  Meth.^  Meth- 
odist;  Cath.^  Catholic;  Luth.^  Lutheran;  Ref.y  Re- 
formed;  Cong.y  Congregational;  Gr.  Ch.^  Greek  Church; 
Diss.y  Dissenting;  Morav.,  Moravian. 

Alstidius,  John  Henry,  1588.  Ref.  Luth.  A  learned 
German  divine,  professor  of  theology  at  Herbon,  and  au- 
thor of  many  works. 

Ambrose.  One  of  the  early  Christian  Fathers,  who 
flourished  about  a.  d.  374. 

Anthon,  Charles,  LL.D.  Epis.  Professor  of  Greek 
and  Latin  in  Columbia  College,  New  York. 

AuGUSTi,  Christian,  D.D.  1772.  Luth.  Professor  of 
theology  in  the  universities  of  Basle  and  Bonn,  Germany. 

Barclay,  J.  T.,  M.D.  Christ.  For  several  years  mis- 
sionary at  Jerusalem,  under  the  patronage  of  the  Ameri- 
can Christian  Missionary  Society. 

Barnes,  Albert.  Presb.  A  distinguished  clergyman, 
and  author  of  the  well-known  Notes  on  the  books  of  the 
Bible. 

Barrow,  Isaac,  D.D.  1630.  Epis.  Eminent  as  a  di- 
567 


568  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

vine  and  mathematician.     Vice-chancellor  of,  and  pro- 
fessor of  Greek  in,  Cambridge  University,  England. 

Basil.  One  of  the  Christian  Fathers,  who  flourished 
about  A.  D.  360. 

Baxter,  Richard.  16 15.  Presb.  An  eminent  Noncon- 
formist divine,  author  of  the  Sainfs  Rest^  and  other 
works. 

Bengel,  John.  1687.  Luth.  Distinguished  as  a  pious 
and  learned  German  divine,  biblical  critic,  and  commen- 
tator. 

Benson,  Joseph.  1748.  Meth.  One  of  the  most  elo- 
quent preachers  and  able  scholars  of  the  early  Methodists. 

Beza,  Theodore.  1519.  Presb.  One  of  the  most  emi- 
nent of  the  reformers  ;  an  associate  of  Calvin,  and  pro- 
fessor of  theology  at  Geneva. 

Bingham,  Joseph.  1668.  Epis.  Rector  of  Havant, 
England  ;  author  of  the  great  work  on  Christian  antiqui- 
ties, the  Origines. 

Brenner,  Frederick,  D.D.  1784.  Cath.  A  distin- 
guished writer,  member  of  the  cathedral  chapter  at  Bam- 
berg, Bavaria. 

BuDDEUs,  John  Franz.  1667.  Luth.  One  of  the  first 
scholars  of  his  day  ;  professor  at  the  universities  of  Halle, 
Coburg,  and  Jena. 

Bloomfield,  S.  T.,  D.D.  Epis.  Vicar  of  Bisbrook, 
England.  Editor  of  the  Greek  New  Testament,  and  au- 
thor of  various  works. 

BossuET,  James.  1627.  Cath.  Bishop  of  Meaux,  and 
state  councilor  of  France.  Distinguished  as  a  preacher, 
author,  and  controversialist. 

Broughton,  Thomas.  1704.  Epis.  Vicar  of  Bed- 
minster,  England  ;  author  of  various  works. 


GLOSSARY   OF  AUTHORITIES.  569 

Cave,  William,  D.D.  1637.  Epis.  Vicar  of  Islington, 
England  ;  eminent  as  a  scholar  and  author. 

Calvin,  John.  1509.  Presb.  The  great  German  re- 
former and  theologian,  whom  Scaliger  pronounced  the 
most  learned  man  in  Europe. 

Campbell,  George,  D.D.  17 19.  Presb.  President 
of,  and  professor  of  divinity  in,  Marischal  College,  Scot- 
land. 

Chrysostom,  John.  a.  d.  347.  Gr.  Ch.  Patriarch  of 
Constantinople  ;    called  the  "golden-mouthed"  preacher. 

Clark,  Adam,  LL.D.  1760.  Meth.  A  distinguished 
antiquarian  and  Oriental  scholar.  The  great  Methodist 
commentator. 

Clarke,  Samuel,  D.D.  1675.  Epis.  An  eminent  Eng- 
lish divine,  scholar,  and  author. 

Conybeare,  W.  J.  Epis.  A  clergyman  of  the  English 
Church  ;  joint  author  of  the  Life  and  Epistles  of  St.  Paul, 

Coleman,  Lyman,  D.D.  Cong.  Professor  of  biblical 
literature  in  Lafayette  College,  Pa.  Author  of  several 
works. 

CuRCELLiEUS,  Stephen.  1586.  Dutch  Ref.  An  emi- 
nent Greek  scholar  ;    professor  of  divinity  at  Amsterdam. 

Cyril.  One  of  the  Christian  Fathers,  who  flourished 
about  A.  D.  375. 

Deylingius,  Solomon.  1677.  Luth.  A  German  theo- 
logian ;  professor  in  the  University  of  Wittenberg. 

Diodati,  John.  1576.  Ref.  An  Italian  divine,  pro- 
fessor of  Hebrew  and  theology  at  Geneva. 

DwiGHT,  Timothy,  D.D.  1752.  Cong.  President  of 
Yale  College,  and  professor  of  theology. 

DoNNEGAN,  James,  M.D.  Author  of  a  Greek  and  Eng. 
lish  lexicon  extensively  used. 


570  THE   NEW    DIRECTORY. 

Doddridge,  Philip,  D.D.  1702.  Diss.  A  pious  and 
popular  English  preacher  ;  author  of  the  Family  Expositor , 
and  various  other  works. 

De  Wette,  William.  1780.  Luth.  Theological  pro- 
fessor at  Basle  ;  '.'ninent  in  biblical  learning. 

Dick,  John,  D.D.  1764.  Presb.  A  learned  Scotch 
divine  ;  professor  of  theology  at  Glasgow. 

EsTius,  Wm.  von,  D.D.  1542.  Cath.  Chancellor  of, 
and  professor  of  theology  in,  the  University  of  Douay, 
France. 

EusEBius  of  Caesarea.  About  a.  d.  270.  One  of  the 
early  Christian  Fathers,  intimate  friend  of  the  Emperor 
Constantine.     Called  the  father  of  church  history. 

Fell,  John,  D.D.  1625.  Epis  A  learned  English 
prelate  ;  Bishop  of  Oxford,  and  Vice-Chancellor  of  the 
university. 

Flatt,  Frederick,  D.D.  1759.  Luth.  Professor  of 
theology  at  Tubingen;  associated  with  Storr  in  theolog- 
ical works. 

Frankius,  Aug.  Herman.  1663.  Luth.  Professor  of 
Oriental  and  Greek  languages  in  the  University  of  Halle; 
author  of  various  works. 

Fritzsche,  Karl  Erie.  Aug.  1801.  Luth.  One  of  the 
most  learned  of  German  philologists  ;  professor  of  the- 
ology in  the  University  of  Rostock. 

Greenfield,  William.  1799.  Epis.  Noted  as  a  linguist 
and  lexicographer.  Editor  of  Bagster's  Comprehensive  Bible. 

Gregory.  One  of  the  early  Christian  Fathers,  who 
flourished  about  a.  d.  360. 

Hagenbach,  Karl  Rudolph,  D.D.  1801.  Luth.  Pro- 
fessor of  theology  in  the  University  of  Basle,  and  author 
of  various  learned  works. 


GLOSSARY   OF   AUTHORITIES.  5/1 

Hammond,  Henry,  D.D.  1605.  Epis.  An  eloquent 
English  divine,  rector  of  Penshurst  ;  nominated  Bishop 
of  Worcester. 

Henry,  Matthew.  1662.  Presb.  Distinguished  as  a 
preacher  and  an  expositor  of  the  Scriptures. 

Hermas.  About  A.  D.  95.  One  of  the  apostolical  Fa- 
thers, and  supposed  author  of  a  work  called  the  Shep- 
herd. 

HippoLYTUs.  One  of  the  Christian  Fathers.  Supposed 
Bishop  of  Portus,  near  Rome.   Flourished  about  a.  d.  225. 

Justin  Martyr.  One  of  the  early  Christian  Fathers, 
who  flourished  about  a.  d.  140. 

King,  John  Glen,  D.D.  1731.  Epis.  A  distinguished 
English  divine  and  antiquarian. 

Leigh,  Edward.  1602.  Presb.  An  English  layman, 
distinguished  in  biblical  lexicography  and  exegesis.  A 
member  of  Parliament  and  of  the  Westminster  Assembly. 

Leighton,  Robert.  161 1.  Epis.  A  learned  and  pious 
Scotch  prelate,  Archbishop  of  Glasgow. 

Lightfoot,  John,  D.D.  1602.  Epis.  Distinguished 
for  learning,  especially  as  a  Hebraist ;  Vice-Chancellor  of 
Cambridge  University,  and  member  of  the  Assembly  of 
Divines. 

LiMBORCH,  Philip.  1633.  Dutch  Ref.  Professor  of 
theology  at  Amsterdam,  and  author  of  various  works. 

LiDDELL,  Henry  George.  Epis.  Dean  of  Christ  Church, 
Oxford,  England.  Associated  in  lexicography  with  Rob- 
ert  Scott,  D.D.,  Epis.^  Master  of  Baliol  College,  Oxford. 

Luther,  Martin,  D.D.  1483.  Ref.  The  celebrated 
German  reformer,  preacher,  and  author. 

Macknight,  James,  D.D.  1721.  Presb.  A  learned 
Scotch  divine  and  commentator  on  the  Epistles. 


5/2  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Mede,  Joseph,  B.D.  1586.  Epis.  A  learned  English 
divine,  eminent  for  scholarship  in  Greek. 

Melancthon,  Philip.  1497.  Ref.  The  most  learned 
and  eminent  associate  of  Luther  in  the  German  Reforma- 
tion. 

Meyer,  Frederick,  D.D.  Luth.  A  distinguished  Ger- 
man theologian,  jurist,  and  scholar. 

MoLDiNATUS,  John.  1534.  Cath.  A  brilliant  and 
learned  writer,  and  teacher  in  theology  and  philosophy. 

MosHEiM,  John  von,  D.D.  1694.  Luth.  Chancellor 
of  the  University  and  professor  of  theology  at  Gottingen. 
Church  historian. 

MuRDOCK,  James,  D.D.  1776.  Cong.  A  profound 
scholar,  professor  in  Theological  Seminary,  Andover, 
Mass.     Translator  of  Mosheim. 

Neander,  John  Aug.  Wil.  1789.  Evang.  Luth.  The 
great  German  scholar  and  ecclesiastical  historian  ;  pro- 
fessor in  the  universities  of  Heidelberg  and  Berlin. 

Newton,  Thomas,  D.D.  1704.  Epis.  Bishop  of  Bris- 
tol, England,  and  author  of  various  works. 

Olshausen,  Herman,  D.D.  1796.  Luth.  Professor 
of  theology  in  the  University  of  Eriangen,  in  Bavaria. 

Parkhurst,  John.  1728.  Epis.  A  learned  English 
divine  and  lexicographer. 

Passow.  1786.  Luth.  A  distinguished  German  phil- 
ologist, professor  in  the  University  of  Breslau. 

Pictetus,  Benedict.  1655.  Presb.  A  learned  Prot- 
estant divine  ;  professor  of  theology  at  Geneva. 

Poole,  Matthew.  1624.  Presb.  A  learned  English 
divine  and  commentator. 

RiCAUT,  Sir  Paul.  1628.  Epis.  An  English  traveler, 
author,  and  diplomatist,  consul  at  Smyrna. 


GLOSSARY  OF  AUTHORITIES.  573 

Robinson,  Edward,  D.D.  Cong.  Professor  of  biblical 
literature  in  Union  Theological  Seminary,  New  York. 
Author  of  N.  T.  Greek  Lexicon. 

RosENMULLER,  John  George.  1736.  Luth,  A  German 
scholar,  and  divinity  professor  at  Erlangen  and  Leipsic. 

Salmasius,  Claude.  1596.  J?e/.  A  French  Protestant, 
noted  for  scholarship  ;  professor  of  ecclesiastical  history 
at  Leyden. 

Saurin,  James.  1677.  J?e/.  A  celebrated  French 
Protestant  pulpit  orator  and  author. 

Scapula,  John.  1540.  A  native  of  Lausanne,  chiefly 
known  for  his  work  in  lexicography. 

ScHAKF,  Philip,  D.D.  Presb.  Eminent  as  a  scholar 
and  historian  ;  professor  in  Union  Theological  Seminary, 
New  York. 

ScHLEUSNER,  Frederic,  D.D,  Luth.  Professor  of  the- 
ology at  Wittenberg.  Distinguished  in  New  Testament 
lexicography. 

ScHOLZ,  John  Mar.  Aug.  Luth.  A  distinguished  bib- 
lical scholar,  author,  and  professor  of  theology. 

Sophocles,  E.  A.,  LL.D.  Born  in  Greece,  professor  of 
Greek  in  the  University  of  Cambridge,  Massachusetts. 

ScHOETTGEN,  Christian.  1687.  Luth.  Professor  in 
various  German  institutions  of  learning. 

ScHREVELius,  Cornclius.  16 15.  Dutch  Ref.  An  emi- 
nent critic  and  lexicographer  of  Leyden,  Holland. 

Sherlock,  Thomas.  1678.  Epis.  An  English  prelate  ; 
Bishop  successively  of  Bangor,  Salisbury,  and  London. 

Scott,  Thomas,  D.D.  1747.  Epis.  An  English  di- 
vine, well  known  for  his  Bible  commentary. 

Stackhouse,  Thomas.  1680.  Epis.  An  English  di- 
vine, well  known  as  author  of  the  History  of  the  Bible. 


574  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

Stanley,  Arthur  Pen.  D.D.  Epis.  Dean  of  West- 
minster, and  professor  of  ecclesiastical  history  at  Oxford, 
England. 

Storr,  Christian,  D.D.  1746.  Luth.  A  German  divine 
and  author,  associated  with  Flatt  in  biblical  learning. 

Stourdza,  Alexander.  1738.  Gr.  Ch.  A  Russian 
scholar,  traveler,  and  diplomatist. 

Taylor,  Jeremy,  D.D.  16 13.  Epis.  An  eloquent 
English  prelate  and  distinguished  author.  Bishop  of 
Down  and  Connor. 

Tertullian,  Septimus  Florens.  One  of  the  early 
Christian  Fathers  ;  author  of  several  works.  Flourished 
about  A.  D.  200. 

Thomson,  W.  M.,  D.D.  Presb.  Missionary  of  the  Amer- 
ican Board,  for  twenty-five  years,  in  Syria  and  Palestine. 

Tillotson,  John,  D.D.  1630.  Epis.  A  noted  English 
prelate,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury. 

Towerson,  Gabriel,  D.D.  1630.  Epis.  A  divine  of 
the  English  Church  ;  author  of  various  works. 

Turretin,  John  Alph.  1681.  Fresb.  A  celebrated 
scholar  ;  professor  of  theology  at  Geneva. 

Tyndale,  William.  Epis.  The  great  English  reformer 
of  the  sixteenth  century  ;  suffered  martyrdom  in  1536. 
Translated  the  New  Testamen. 

Valesius,  Henry.  1603.  Cath.  A  distinguished  French 
critic  and  scholar  ;  appointed  historiographer  of  France. 

Venema,  Herman.  1697.  Dutch  Ref.  Distinguished 
as  a  scholar  ;  professor  in  the  University  of  Franeker, 
Friesland. 

ViTRiNGA,  Campegius,  D.D.  1659.  Luih.  A  learned 
divine,  professor  of  Oriental  languages,  history,  and  divin- 
ity at  Franeker,  Friesland. 


GLOSSARY  OF  AUTHORITIES.  575 

Von  Colln,  Daniel  Geo.  Con.  1788.  Moray .  Pro- 
fessor of  theology  at  Breslau,  and  author  of  theological 
works. 

Vossius,  Gerhard.  1577.  Epis.  Professor  at  Leyden. 
Eminent  as  a  critic  and  philologist. 

Waddington,  George.  Epis.  An  English  divine,  Fel- 
low of  Trinity  College,  and  prebendary  in  the  Cathedral 
church  of  Chichester. 

Wall,  William,  D.D.  1646.  Epis.  Vicar  of  Shore- 
ham,  England  ;  author  of  the  learned  History  of  Infant 
Baptism. 

Wesley,  John.  1703.  Meth.  Founder  of  Methodism 
in  England.  Most  distinguished  of  the  Wesley  family. 
An  able  scholar  and  preacher. 

Wetstein,  John  James.  1693.  Luth.  Distinguished 
as  a  biblical  scholar  ;  professor  at  Amsterdam.  Editor  of 
the  New  Testament. 

Whitby,  Daniel,  D.D.  1638.  Epis.  An  English  divine 
and  commentator. 

Whitefield,  George.  17 14.  Epis.  The  celebrated 
preacher  ;  associate  of  Wesley  and  the  Calvinistic  Meth- 
odists. 

WiTSius,  Herman.  1636.  Dutch  Ref.  An  eminent 
Dutch  divine  ;  professor  of  divinity  at  Franeker,  Utrecht, 
and  Leyden. 

Winer,  George  B.  1789.  Luth.  A  German  scholar 
and  theologian,  celebrated  for  his  knowledge  of  New  Tes- 
tament literature. 

Zanchius,  Jerome.  Cath.  Professor  of  theology  at 
Heidelberg.    Embraced  Protestantism  with  Peter  Martyr. 

ZwiNGLi,  Ulrich.  1484.  Ref.  The  great  Swiss  reform- 
er; coadjutor  and  friend  of  Luther;  scholar  and  author. 


D.     RULES  OF  ORDER. 

The  ordinary  parliamentary  rules  of  order  commonly 
used  in  all  deliberative  bodies  are  those  which  govern 
churches  and  other  religious  societies  in  their  meetings 
for  business,  in  case  no  other  rules  are  adopted  at  the 
commencement  of  their  deliberations.  Any  body  has  the 
right  to  adopt  any  system  of  rules  it  may  see  fit  to  prefer. 
While  in  ordinary  Church  meetings  it  may  not  be  wise  to 
be  over-punctilious  as  to  order,  it  is  wise  to  be  very 
orderly,  and  to  avoid  confusion  and  disorder  in  the  pro- 
ceedings. The  spirit  of  worship  should  pervade  the  busi- 
ness meetings  of  the  Church.  They  should  be  opened 
with  singing,  reading  the  Scriptures  and  prayer.  The 
pastor  is,  of  right,  moderator,  and  on  him,  more  than  on 
any  one  else,  will  depend  the  good  order,  and  the  efficiency 
of  the  proceedings. 

Motions. 

1.  All  business  shall  be  presented  by  a  motiotiy  made  by 
one  member,  and  seconded  by  another,  and  presented  in 
writing  by  the  mover,  if  so  required. 

2.  No  discussion  can  properly  be  had  until  the  motion 
is  made,  seconded,  and  stated  by  the  chairman. 

3.  A  motion  cannot  be  withdrawn  after  it  has  been  dis- 
cussed, except  by  the  unanimous  consent  of  the  body. 

4.  A  motion  having  been  discussed,  must  be  put  to 

576 


RULES   OF  ORDER.  577 

vote,  unless  withdrawn,  laid  on  the  table,  referred  or  post- 
poned. 

5.  A  motion  lost  should  not  be  recorded,  except  so 
ordered  by  the  body  at  the  time. 

6.  A  motion  lost  cannot  be  renewed  at  the  same  meet- 
ing, except  by  unanimous  consent. 

7.  A  motion  should  contain  but  one  distinct  proposi- 
tion. If  it  contains  more,  it  must  be  divided  at  the 
request  of  any  member,  and  the  propositions  acted  on 
separately. 

8.  Only  one  question  can  properly  be  before  the  meet- 
ing at  the  same  time.  No  second  motion  can  be  allowed 
to  mterrupt  one  already  under  debate,  except  a  motion  to 
amende  to  substitute^  to  commity  to  postpone^  to  lay  on  the 
table^  for  the  previous  question^  or  to  adjourn. 

9.  These  subsidiary  motions  just  named  cannot  be  in- 
terrupted by  any  other  motion;  nor  can  any  other  motion 
be  applied  to  them,  except  that  to  amende  which  may  be 
done  by  specifying  some  //W,  place^  or  purpose. 

10.  Nor  can  these  motions  interrupt  or  supersede  each 
other;  only  that  a  motion  to  adjourn  is  always  in  order, 
except  while  a  member  has  the  floor,  or  a  question  is  being 
taken,  and,  in  some  bodies,  even  then. 

Amendments. 

J.  Amendments  may  be  made  to  resolutions  in  three 
ways  :  By  omitting  y  by  adding,  or  by  substituting  words 
or  sentences. 

2.  An  amendment  to  an  amendment  may  be  made,  but 
is  seldom  necessary,  and  should  be  avoided. 

3.  No  amendment  should  be  made  which  essentially 
changes  the  meaning  or  design  of  the  original  resolution. 

87 


578  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

4.  But  a  substitute  may  be  offered,  which  may  change 
entirely  the  meaning  of  the  resolution  under  debate. 

5.  The  amendment  must  first  be  discussed  and  acted 
on,  and  then  the  original  resolution  as  amended. 

Speaking. 

1.  Any  member  desiring  to  speak  on  a  question  should 
rise  in  his  place  and  address  the  moderator,  confine  his 
remarks  to  the  question,  and  avoid  all  unkind  and  disre- 
spectful language. 

2.  A  speaker  using  improper  language,  introducing  im- 
proper subjects,  or  otherwise  out  of  order,  should  be  called 
to  order  by  the  chairman,  or  any  member,  and  must  either 
conform  to  the  regulations  of  the  body,  or  take  his  seat. 

3.  A  member  while  speaking  can  allow  others  to  ask 
questions,  or  make  explanations;  but  if  he  yields  the  floor 
to  another,  he  cannot  claim  it  again  as  his  right. 

4.  If  two  members  rise  to  speak  at  the  same  time,  pref- 
erence is  usually  given  to  the  one  farthest  from  the  chair, 
or  to  the  one  opposing  the  motion  under  discussion. 

5.  The  fact  that  a  person  has  several  times  arisen  and 
attempted  to  get  the  floor,  gives  him  no  claim  or  right  to 
be  heard.  Nor  does  a  call  for  the  question  deprive  a 
member  of  his  right  to  speak. 

Voting. 

I.  A  question  is  put  to  vote  by  the  chairman,  having 
first  distinctly  restated  it,  that  all  may  vote  intelligently. 
First,  the  affirmative^  then  the  negative  is  called,  each  so 
deliberately  as  to  give  all  an  opportunity  of  voting.  He 
then  distinctly  announces  whether  the  motion  is  carried, 
or  lost. 


RULES   OF   ORDER.  579 

2.  Voting  is  usually  done  by  "aye"  and  "no,"  or  by 
raising  the  hand.  In  a  doubtful  case  by  standing  and  be- 
ing counted.     On  certain  questions  by  ballot. 

3 .  If  the  vote,  as  announced  by  the  chairman,  is  doubted, 
it  is  called  again,  usually  by  standing  to  be  counted. 

4.  All  members  should  vote,  unless  for  reasons  excused; 
or  unless  under  discipline,  in  which  case  they  should  take 
no  part  in  the  business. 

5.  The  moderator  does  not  usually  vote,  except  the 
question  be  taken  by  ballot;  but  when  the  meeting  is 
equally  divided,  he  is  expected,  but  is  not  obliged,  to  give 
the  casting  vote. 

6.  When  the  vote  is  to  be  taken  by  ballot,  the  chairman 
appoints  tellers^  to  distribute,  collect,  and  count  the  ballots. 

Committees. 

1.  Committees  are  nominated  by  the  chairman,  if  sa 
directed  by  the  body,  or  by  any  member,  and  the  nomina- 
tion is  confirmed  by  a  vote  of  the  body.  More  commonly 
the  body  directs  that  all  committees  shall  be  appointed  by 
the  chairman,  in  which  case  no  vote  is  needed  to  confirm. 

2.  Any  matter  of  business,  or  subject  under  debate, 
may  be  referred  to  a  committee,  with  or  without  instruc- 
tions. The  committee  make  their  report^  which  is  the 
result  of  their  deliberations.  The  body  then  takes  action 
on  the  report,  and  on  any  recommendations  it  may  con- 
tain. 

3.  The  report  of  a  committee  is  received^  when  it  is  lis- 
tened to,  having  been  called  for,  or  permitted  by  the 
moderator,  with  or  without  a  vote  of  the  body.  The 
report  is  accepted  by  a  vote,  which  acknowledges  their 
services,  and  places  the  report  before  the  body  for  its  ac- 


$80  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

tion.     Afterward,  any  distinct  recominendation  contained 
in  the  report  is  acted  on,  and  may  be  adopted  or  rejected. 

4.  Frequently,  however,  when  the  recommendations  of 
the  committee  are  of  a  trifling  moment  or  likely  to  be 
generally  acceptable,  the  report,  having  been  received,  is 
accepted  and  adopted  by  the  same  vote. 

5.  A  report  may  be  recommitted  to  the  committee,  with 
or  without  instructions,  or,  that  committee  discharged  and 
the  matter  referred  to  a  new  one  for  further  consideration, 
so  as  to  present  it  in  a  form  more  likely  to  meet  the  gen- 
eral concurrence  of  the  body. 

6.  A  committee  may  be  appointed  ivith  poiver  for  a  spe- 
cific purpose.  This  gives  them  power  to  dispose  conclusive- 
ly of  the  matter,  without  further  reference  to  the  body. 

7.  The  first  named  in  the  appointment  of  a  committee 
is,  by  courtesy,  considered  the  chairman.  But  the  com- 
mittee has  the  right  to  name  its  own  chairman. 

8.  The  member  who  moves  the  appointment  of  a  com- 
mittee is  usually,  though  not  necessarily,  named  its  chair- 
man. 

9.  Committees  of  arrangement,  or  for  other  protracted 
service,  report  progress  from  time  to  time,  and  are  con- 
tinued until  their  final  report,  or  until  their  appointment 
expires  by  limitation. 

10.  A  committee  is  discharged  by  a  vote  when  its  busi- 
ness is  done  and  its  report  accepted.  But  usually,  in 
routine  business,  a  committee  is  considered  discharged  by 
the  acceptance  of  its  report. 

Standing  Committee. 

A  committee  appointed  to  act  for  a  given  period,  or 
during  the  recess  of  the  body,  is  called  a  standing  commit- 


RULES  OF  ORDER.  581 

tee.  It  has  charge  of  a  given  department  of  business 
assigned  by  the  body,  and  acts  either  with  power,  under 
instructions,  or  at  discretion,  as  may  be  ordered.  A 
standing  committee  is  substantially  a  minor  board,  and 
has  its  own  chairman,  secretary,  records,  and  times  of 
meeting. 

Appeal 

The  moderator  announces  all  votes,  and  decides  all 
questions  as  to  rules  of  proceeding  and  order  of  debate. 
But  any  member  who  is  dissatisfied  with  his  decisions  may 
appeal  from  them  to  the  body.  The  moderator  then  puts 
the  question,  "  Shall  the  decision  of  the  chair  be  sus- 
tainedV  The  vote  of  the  body,  whether  negative  or 
affirmative,  is  final.  The  right  of  appeal  is  undeniable, 
but  should  not  be  resorted  to  on  trivial  occasions. 

Previous  Question. 

Debate  may  be  cut  short  by  a  vote  to  take  the  previous 
question.  This  means  that  the  original,  or  main  question 
under  discussion,  be  immediately  voted  on,  regardless  of 
amendments  and  secondary  questions,  and  without  further 
debate.  Usually  a  two-thirds  vote  is  necessary  to  order 
the  previous  question. 

1.  If  the  motion  for  the  previous  question  be  ^arr/></, 
then  the  main  question  must  be  immediately  taken  with- 
out further  debate. 

2.  If  the  motion  for  the  previous  question  be  lost^  the 
debate  proceeds  as  though  no  such  motion  had  been  made. 

3.  If  the  motion  for  the  previous  question  be  lost^  it 
cannot  be  renewed  with  reference  to  the  same  question 
during  the  same  session. 


582  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

To  Lay  on  the  Table. 

Immediate  and  decisive  action  on  any  question  under 
discussion  may  be  deferred  by  a  vote  to  lay  on  the  table 
the  resolution  pending.  This  disposes  of  the  whole  sub- 
ject for  the  present,  and  ordinarily  is,  in  effect,  a  final  dis- 
missal of  it.  But  any  member  has  the  right  subsequently 
to  call  it  up,  and  the  body  will  decide  by  vote  whether  or 
not  it  shall  be  taken  from  the  table. 

1.  Sometimes,  however,  a  resolution  is  laid  on  the  table 
for  the  present,  or  until  a  specified  time,  to  give  place  to 
other  business. 

2.  A  motion  to  lay  on  the  table  must  apply  to  a  resolu- 
tion, or  other  papers.  An  abstract  subject  cannot  be  dis- 
posed of  in  this  way. 

Postponement 

A  s\vcip\t  postponement  is  for  a  specified  time  or  purpose, 
the  business  to  be  resumed  when  the  time  or  purpose  is 
reached.  But  a  question  indefinitely  postponed  is  consid- 
ered as  finally  dismissed. 

Not  Debatable. 

Certain  motions,  by  established  usage,  are  not  debatable^ 
but  when  once  before  the  body,  must  be  taken  without 
discussion. 

These  are  :  the  previous  question,  for  indefinite  postpone- 
ment, to  commit,  to  lay  on  the  table,  to  adjourn. 

But  when  these  motions  are  modified  by  some  condition 
of  time,  place,  or  purpose,  they  become  debatable,  and 
subject  to  the  rules  of  other  motions,  but  debatable 
only  in  respect  to  the  time,  place,  or  purpose  which  brings 
them  within  the  province  of  debate. 


RULES   OF  ORDER.  583 

A  body  is,  however,  competent,  by  a  vote,  to  allow  de- 
bate on  all  motions. 

To  Reconsider. 

A  motion  to  reconsider  a  motion  previously  passed  must 
be  made  by  one  who  voted  for  the  motion  when  it  passed. 

If  the  body  votes  to  reconsider,  then  the  motion  or  res- 
olution being  reconsidered  stands  before  them  as  previous 
to  its  passage,  and  may  be  discussed,  adopted,  or  rejected. 

A  vote  to  reconsider  should  be  taken  at  the  same  ses- 
sion at  which  the  vote  reconsidered  was  passed,  and  when 
there  are  as  many  members  present.  But  this  rule,  though 
just,  is  frequently  disregarded. 

Not  to  be  Discussed. 

If,  when  a  question  is  introduced,  any  member  objects 
to  its  discussion  as  foreign,  profitless,  or  contentious,  the 
moderator  should  at  once  put  the  question,  ^^Shall  this 
motion  be  discussed?  "  If  this  question  be  decided  in  the 
negative,  the  subject  must  be  dismissed. 

Order  of  the  Day. 

The  body  may  decide  to  take  up  some  definite  business 
at  a  specified  time.  That  business  therefore  becomes  the 
order  of  the  day  for  that  hour.  When  the  time  mentioned 
arrives  the  chairman  calls  the  business,  or  any  member 
may  demand  it,  with  or  without  a  vote,  and  all  pending 
questions  are  postponed  in  consequence. 

Point  of  Order. 

Any  member  who  believes  that  a  speaker  is  out  of 
order,  or  that  discussion  is  proceeding  improperly,  may  at 


584  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

any  time  rise  to  a  point  of  order.     He  must  distinctly  state 
his  question  or  objection,  which  the  moderator  will  decide. 

Privileges. 

Questions  relating  to  the  rights  and  privileges  of  mem- 
bers are  of  primary  importance,  and,  until  disposed  of, 
take  precedence  of  all  other  business,  and  supersede  all 
other  motions,  except  that  of  adjournment. 

Rule  Suspended. 

A  rule  of  order  may  be  suspended  by  a  vote  of  the  body 
to  allow  the  transaction  of  business  necessary,  but  which 
could  not  otherwise  be  done  without  a  violation  of  such 
rule. 

Filling  Blanks. 

Where  different  numbers  are  suggested  for  filling  blanks, 
the  highest  number,  greatest  distance  and  longest  time  are 
usually  voted  on  first. 

Adjournment. 

1.  A  simple  motion  to  adjour?t  is  always  in  order,  except 
while  a  member  is  speaking,  or  when  taking  a  vote.  It 
takes  precedence  of  all  other  motions,  and  is  not  debatable. 

2.  In  some  deliberative  bodies  a  motion  to  adjourn  is 
in  order  while  a  speaker  has  the  floor,  or  a  vote  is  being 
taken,  the  business  to  stand,  on  reassembling,  precisely  as 
when  adjournment  took  place. 

3.  A  body  may  adjourn  to  a  specific  time,  but  if  no  time 
be  mentioned,  the  fixed  or  usual  time  of  meeting  is  un- 
derstood. If  there  be  no  fixed  or  usual  time  of  meeting, 
then  an  adjournment  without  date  is  equivalent  to  a  dis- 
solution 


E.     FORMS  AND  BLANKS. 

There  are  no  fixed  or  necessary  forms  for  Letters  of 
Dismission,  Calls  for  Councils,  Minutes  of  Conventions, 
and  the  like.  The  customs  of  churches  may  differ,  and 
the  taste  of  those  who  prepare  these  forms  will  vary.  They 
should  be  concise,  intelligible  and  definite  as  to  the  pur- 
pose for  which  they  are  designed.  The  following  consti- 
tute substantially  the  forms  in  common  use: 

I .   Letters  of  Dismission. 

The  Baptist  Church  of 

To  the  Baptist  Church  of 
Dear  Brethren: 

This  is  to  certify  that  is  a  member  in  good 

and  regular  standing  with  us,  and  at  own  request, 

is  hereby  dismissed,  for  the  purpose  of  uniting  with  you. 
When  has  so  united,  connection  with  us  will 

cease.      May  the  divine  blessing  rest  on  and  on 

you. 

Done  by  order  of  the  Church. 

Ch,  Clerk, 

New  York,  June         ,  i8 

This  Letter  is  valid  for  six  months. 

Note  i. — It  is  customary  to  limit  letters  to  a  specified  time, 
after  which  they  are  not  valid,  but  may  be  renewed  at  the  discre- 

585 


586  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

tion  of  the  Church,  if  satisfactory  reasons  are  given  for  their 
non-use. 

Note  2. — A  letter  may  be  granted  to  "  any  Church  of  the  same 
faith  and  order,"  instead  of  to  a  specified  Church,  when  the  mem- 
ber is  uncertain  with  what  one  he  may  unite. 

Note  3. — But  a  letter  granted  to  a  particular  Church  is  valid 
for  some  other  Church,  should  that  other  see  fit  to  accept  it.  Each 
Church  is  sole  judge  of  the  fitness  of  those  whom  it  receives. 

2.  Letter  of  Commendation. 

This  certifies  that  is  a  member  in  good 

standing  in  the  Baptist  Church  in  ,  and  is 

hereby  commended  to  the  confidence  and  Christian  fel- 
lowship of  sister  churches  wherever  Providence  may  di- 
rect course. 

Pastor,  or  Clerk. 
New  York,  June         ,  18 

Note. — This  form  of  letter  is  for  members  during  a  tempo- 
rary absence  from  home,  and  may  be  given  by  the  pastor  person- 
ally, or  by  the  Church's  formal  action. 

3.  Letter  of  Notification. 

New  York,  June         ,  18 
To  the  Baptist  Church. 

Dear  Brethren: 

This  certifies  that  was  received  by  Letter 

from  you.  to  membership  in  the  Baptist  Church, 

June         ,  18 

Ch.  Clerk. 

Note  i. — This  form  is  attached  to,  or  enclosed  in,  every  letter 
granted,  and  filled  by  the  Church  receiving  the  member,  and  re- 
turned to  the  one  granting  it. 


FORMS  AND   BLANKS.  587 

Note  2. — When  members  are  dismissed  to  constitute  a  new 
Church,  that  fact  should  be  stated  in  the  letters. 

4.  Minutes  of  Church  Meeting. 

New  York,  June         ,  18 
The  Church  held  its  regular  meeting  for  business  this 
evening  at  o'clock. 

Pastor,  moderator. 

After  singing,  and  reading  the  Scriptures,  prayer  was 
offered  by- 
Minutes  of  the  last  meeting  were  read  and  approved. 
[Then  follows  a  faithful  record  of  the  business  trans- 
acted.] 

Meeting  adjourned. 

Ch.  Clerk. 

Note. — The  records  of  a  Church  should  show  not  only  bare 
minutes  of  its  business,  but  a  concise  mention  of  important  events 
and  changes  in  its  current  history,  for  reference  and  information 
in  after  years. 

5.   Call  for  an  Ordaining  Council. 

New  York,  June  18 

The  Baptist  Church  of 

To  the  Baptist  Church  of 

Dear  Brethren: 

You  are  requested  to  send  your  pastor  and  two  breth- 
ren to  sit  with    us    in  Council,   July  ,   at 
o'clock  p.  M.,  to  consider  and  advise  as  to  the  expediency 
of  publicly  setting  apart  to  the  work  of  the  Gospel  minis- 
try our  brother                        .      The  Council  will   meet 

in 

The  following  churches  are  invited: 

Bv  order  of  the  Church, 
^  Ch,  CUrh 


588  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

6.  Call  for  a  Recognizif^  Council. 

New  York,  June         ,  i8 
To  the  Baptist  Church  of 

Dear  Brethren: 

In  behalf  of  a  company  of  brethren  and  sisters  in  Christ, 
you  are  requested  to  send  your  pastor  and  two  brethren, 
to  meet  in  Council  at  >  July  ,  at  o'clock 

p.  M.,  to  consider  the  propriety  of  recognizing  said   com- 
pany as  a  regular  and  independent  Church  of  Christ. 
The  following  churches  are  invited: 
Fraternally  yours, 

Com.^  or  Clerk. 

7.  Call  for  an  Advisory  Council. 

New  York,  June         ,  18 
The  Baptist  Church  of 

To  the  Baptist  Church  of 

Dear  Brethren: 

You  are  requested  to  send  your  pastor  and  two  breth- 
ren, to  sit  in  Council  July  ,18  ,  at  o'clock 
p.  M.,  to  consider  and  advise  as  to  certain  difficulties  exist- 
ing among  us,  which  disturb   our  peace,   and    threaten 
serious  injury  to  the  welfare  of  our  Church. 
The  Council  will  meet  in 
The  following  churches  are  invited: 
By  order  of  the  Church, 

Ch.  Clerk. 

Note  i. — All  Councils  are  advisory,  in  the  sense  that  none  are 
authoritative.  But  it  is  usual  to  call  those  advisory  which  are 
called  to  advise,  especially  as  to  the  settlement  of  difficulties. 

Note  2. — Advisory  Councils  may  be  called  by  either  churches 


FORMS   AND   BLANKS.  589 

or  individuals,  and  also  as  to  other   matters  than  pending  diflScul- 
ties.     The  call  should  state  the  object. 

Note  3. — For  directions  as  to  calling  and  using  Councils,  sec 
the  chapter  on  that  subject. 

8.  Minutes  of  a  Council. 

New  York,  June         ,  18 
An  Ecclesiastical  Council,  called  by  the  Church, 

convened  at  this  day,  at  o'clock  p.  m. 

Organized  by  choosing  ,  moderator,  and 

,  clerk. 
Prayer  was  offered  by 

The  credentials  of  pastors  and  messengers  were  pre- 
sented. The  following  churches  were  represented  by  the 
following  brethren: 

Churches,  Messengers. 


The  records  of  the  Church  relating  to  the  call  of  the 
Council  were  read,  also  the  letter  missive,  showing  the  ob- 
ject to  be 

[Then  follows  a  faithful  record  of  the  proceedings  as 
they  transpired.] 

Council  dissolved,  or  adjourned  sine  die. 

Modirator. 
Clerk. 

Note. — A  tru«  copy  of  the  minutes,  signed  by  the  moderator 
and  clerk,  should  be  furnished  to  the  parties  calling  the  CounciL 


590  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

9.   Minutes  of  a  Committee. 

New  York,  June         ,  18 

The  committee   met   at  ,  at 

o'clock  p.  M. 

Present: 

Brother  in  the  chair.     Prayer  was  offered 

by 

Minutes  of  the  last  meeting  read  and  approved. 

[Record  of  business.] 

Adjourned. 

Secretary. 


10.  Minutes  of  a  Convention. 

New  York,  June         ,  18 
A  convention  called  to  consider  met  at 

at  o'clock  p.  M.,  this  day. 

was  chosen  chairman  and  sec- 

retary. 

After  prayer  by  ,  the  chairman  stated  the 

object  of  the  meeting  to  be 

[Then  follows  a  true  record  of  proceedings.] 
Adjourned,  or  dissolved. 

Chairman. 
Secretary. 

Note. — The  rules  of  order  to  be  observed  in  all  meetings, 
whether  religious  or  secular,  are  substantially  the  same — the  or- 
dinary parliamentary  rules.  But  any  organization  or  deliberative 
body  has  the  right  to  make  its  own  rules  at  the  commencement  of 
its  sessions.     If  none  are  then  adopted,  common  rules  prevail. 


FORMS   AND   BLANKS.  59 1 

1 1 .  Form  of  a  License. 

It  is  customary  for  young  men  who  believe  themselves 
called  of  God  to  the  work  of  the  Gospel  ministry,  to  ask 
from  their  Church  a  license^  granting  the  Church's  ap- 
proval of  their  exercise  of  ministerial  gifts.  Some  theo- 
logical seminaries  require  a  license  for  every  student 
admitted  to  divinity  studies.  A  license  confers  no  cleri- 
cal authority,  but  simply  approves  the  course  of  the.licen- 
tiate  in  the  matter. 

There  is  no  invariable  form  of  license,  but  the  follow- 
ing substantially  serves  the  purpose: 

License. 

This  certifies  that  Bro.  is  a  member  of 

the  Church,  in  good  standing,  and  held  by 

us  in  high  esteem;  and,  after  having  opportunity  for  judg- 
ing, we  believe  him  to  have  been  called  of  God  to  the 
work  of  the  Gospel  ministry,  and  hereby  give  him  our  en- 
tire consent  and  cordial  approval  in  the  improvement  of 
his  gifts  in  preaching  the  Gospel,  as  Providence  may  afford 
him  an  opportunity.  And  we  pray  the  great  Head  of  the 
Church  to  endow  him  with  all  needful  grace,  and  crown 
his  labors  with  abundant  success. 

Done  by  order   of  the    Church,  this  day,  June        , 

18 

Pastor. 
Clerk. 
New  York. 

Note  i.— A  license  can  be  annulled  or  withdrawn  at  any  time, 
should  the  Church  have,  in  its  judgment,  suflBcienl  reason  for 
such  action. 


592  THE    NEW    DIRECTORY. 

Note  2. — A  license  in  no  sense  invests  the  licensee  with  min- 
isterial functions,  beyond  approval  in  conducting  religious  ser- 
vices and  expounding  the  Scriptures. 

Note  3. — Quite  commonly  a  license  includes  advice  or  approval 
of  the  candidate's  pursuing  appropriate  studies,  the  better  to  pre- 
pare him  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  since  a  license  by  no 
means  implies  an  immediate  entrance  upon  full  ministerial  func- 
tions. 


12.   Certificate  of  Ordination. 

This  certifies  that  our  Brother  was  pub- 

licly ordained  and  set  apart  to  the  work  of  the  Gospel 
ministry  with  appropriate  religious  services,  prayer,  and 
the  laying  on  of  hands,  according  to  the  usages  of  Bap- 
tist churches,  at  ,  Aug.  ,  18 

That  he  was  called  to  ordination  by  the  Church, 

of  which  he  was  a  member,  and  which,  after  full  and  suffi- 
cient opportunity  for  judging  of  his  gifts,  were  agreed  in 
the  opinion  that  he  was  divinely  called  to  the  work  of  the 
ministry. 

That  churches  were  represented   in  the  Council 

by  ministers,  and  laymen,  and  that,  after 

a  full,  fair  and  deliberate  examination,  being  satisfied  on 
all  points,  the  Council  did  unanimously  recommend  his 
ordination. 

That  our  Bro.  did  accordingly  receive  the 

full,  entire  and  hearty  approval  of  the  Council  in  his  offi- 
cial entrance  upon  the  work  of  the  ministry,  administer- 
ing the  ordinances,  and  other\^ise  assuming  all  the  func- 
tions of  a  Christian  minister.  And  may  the  blessing  of 
ihe  great  Head  of  the  Church  attend  him,  crown  his  la. 


FORMS  AND   BLANKS.  593 

bors  with  abundant  success,  and  make  him  an  honored 
instrument  of  good  to  Zion  and  the  world. 

Moderator. 

Clerk. 
New  York,  Sept.  ,  18 

Note. — As  a  rule,  men  are  not  ordained,  except  as  pastors  of 
churches,  or  to  become  missionaries  and  raise  up  churches.  To 
ordain  men  to  occupy  semi-secular  positions,  because  it  may  class 
them  with  clergymen,  or  enable  them  occasionally  to  serve  the 
churches  by  administering  the  ordinances,  when  they  neither  do, 
nor  expect  to,  enter  fully  into  ministerial  service,  is  not  generally 
approved,  or  deemed  orderly. 


F.     BENEVOLENT  SOCIETIES. 

To  every  true  Christian  desiring  the  universal  coming 
of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  ready  to  do  the  best  he  can 
for  its  triumph,  "  the  field  is  the  world."  His  sympathies 
and  endeavors  will  not  be  limited  to  the  small  area  of  his 
Church  and  his  community,  though  there  is  his  first,  and 
probably  his  chiefest,  obligation,  but  by  all  methods  divinely 
approved,  he  should  strive  to  save  men.  Baptists  have 
well-established  agencies,  on  which  God  has  most  gra- 
ciously smiled,  and  to  which  he  has  given  marked  success 
for  doing  Christian  work  outside  of  Church  limitations: 
Foreign  Missions,  Home  Missions,  Bible  work  and  relig- 
ious publications,  with  other  appliances  for  Christian  ser- 
vice. Every  Church,  and  every  Church  member,  should 
know  what  is  going  on  in  his  own  denomination  as  to  the 
progress  of  the  Gospel.  A  brief  reference  to  our  principal 
Christian  agencies  is  here  appended,  for  the  benefit  espe- 
cially of  younger  members,  who  may  be  less  familiar  with 
them  than  those  who  are  older. 

I.  Missionary    Union.     1814. 

The  Missionary  Union  is  the  society  through  whose 
agency  Baptists  of  the  North,  East  and  West  send  the 
Gospel  to  foreign  countries,  and  especially  to  heathen 
lands.  It  was  brought  into  being  in  a  very  providential 
manner.     At   the   beginning   of   this    century   little  was 

694 


BENEVOLENT    SOCIETIES.  595 

known  in  this  country,  and  less  done,  by  Christian  peo- 
ple, as  to  foreign  missions.  The  grand  work  now  be- 
ing done  by  the  Gospel  in  heathen  lands  is  the  achieve- 
ment of  the  present  century.  February  19,  181 2, 
Adoniram  Judson  and  his  wife,  together  with  Rev.  Mr. 
Newell  and  his  wife,  sailed  from  Salem,  Mass.,  as  mis- 
sionaries for  Asia,  under  the  patronage  of  the  American 
Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions.  Only  the 
day  before,  Rev.  Luther  Rice,  in  company  with  Revs. 
Messrs.  Nott  and  Hall,  sailed  from  Philadelphia  for  the 
same  destination.  It  was  a  very  notable  occurrence,  which 
has  passed  into  history  as  providential,  that  during  their 
voyage,  though  separated  on  the  sea,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Judson  and  Mr.  Rice  had  their  attention  called  to 
the  subject  of  Christian  baptism — when  they  left  home 
none  of  them  were  Baptists — with  similar  results,  namely, 
that  they  adopted  Baptist  views  respecting  this  ordinance. 
On  reaching  India  they  united  with  the  English  Baptists 
whom  they  found  there,  and  resigned  their  connection 
with  the  Board  of  Commissioners  at  home.  American 
Baptists  had  not  yet  sent  missionaries  to  the  heathen, 
and  these  brethren  at  once  sent  back  to  America  an  ap- 
peal to  Baptists  for  support,  and  to  awaken  an  interest 
among  the  churches  in  the  work  of  missions  among  the 
heathen. 

Strange  to  say,  the  effort  of  these  brethren  to  establish 
Christian  missions  in  India  was  met  by  the  most  decided 
hostility  on  the  part  of  the  British  government,  whose  in- 
fluence was  potential,  and  they  were  compelled  to  leave 
Calcutta.  Thereupon  Mr.  Rice  returned  to  America,  to 
stir  up  the  Baptists,  and  excite  a  deeper  interest  in  the 
work,  and  Mr.  Judson  and  his  wife,  in  a  very  unexpected 


596  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

manner,  and  contrary  to  all  his  previous  plans,  entered 
Burmah,  and  arrived  at  Rangoon  in  July,  18 13. 

These  events,  so  new  and  unlooked-for,  aroused  Amer- 
ican Baptists,  not  only  to  the  importance  of  the  work,  but 
also  to  the  responsibility  so  strangely  thrown  on  them  in 
rijspect  to  it.  The  conviction  became  deep  and  general 
that  they  should  at  once  organize  a  missionary  society  for 
tbe  prosecution  of  Christian  work  in  foreign  lands.  Ac- 
cordingly, a  convention  was  called  for  the  purpose,  com- 
posed of  delegates  from  churches  and  Associations.  This 
cc^jivention  met  in  Philadelphia,  May  [8,  181 4,  when  the 
*'  Triennial  Convention  "  was  organized  under  the  name 
of  **  The  General  Missionary  Convention  of  the  Baptist 
Denomination  in  the  United  States  of  America  for  For- 
eign Missions."  It  was  to  meet  iriennially^  which  gave 
itj  common  designation.  Under  this  arrangement  the 
society  continued  to  act  efficiently  until  November,  1845, 
when,  at  a  special  meeting  held  in  New  York,  several 
changes  were  made  in  its  constitution,  and  the  name 
clxanged  to  its  present  title,  "  The  American  Baptist  Mis- 
sionary Union." 

The  society  now  meets  annually,  and  its  affairs  are  ad- 
Hjinistered  by  an  executive  committee  located  in  Boston, 
Mass.  At  the  seventy-eighth  anniversary,  held  in  Phila- 
delphia May  24,  25,  26,  1892,  the  treasurer  reported,  as 
the  total  receipts  from  all  sources  during  the  preceding 
year,  $589,772,  of  which  sum  $130,000  was  from  legacies. 
Missions  were  sustained  in  various  heathen  lands,  and  in 
seven  European  countries.  They  have  under  their  pa- 
tronage 2,030  missionaries,  with  1,459  churches,  and  163,- 
881  Church  members.  During  the  preceding  year  18,549 
converts  were  baptized  and  added  to  the  churches.    About 


BENEVOLENT    SOCIETIES.  597 

n,ooo  of  these  converts  were  from  among  the  heathen, 
while  churches  among  the  heathen  contributed,  during 
the  year,  $60,000  for  mission  purposes.  In  connection 
with  these  mission  churches  are  more  than  78,000  pupils 
in  Sunday-schools.  The  report  showed  an  increase  over 
the  year  before  of  39  missionaries,  207  native  preachers, 
44  churches,  and  11,239  Church  members. 

2.  Baptist  Publication  Society.     1S24. 

The  Publication  Society  grew  out  of  the  "  Baptist  Gen- 
eral Tract  Society,"  organized  in  Washington,  D.  C,  Feb- 
ruary 20,  1824.  The  Tract  Society  itself  seemed  the 
result  of  a  concurrence  of  Providential  circumstances,  and 
was  largely  the  fruit  of  personal  labors  on  the  part  of  Rev. 
Noah  Davis,  Rev.  J.  D.  Knowles,  and  Rev.  Dr.  Stoughton, 
chiefly  instrumental  in  its  organization.  During  its  first 
year  this  Society  published  nineteen  tracts,  containing  in 
all  fifty-six  pages,  of  which  86,000  copies  were  circulated. 
In  1826  the  Society  was  transferred  to  Philadelphia,  as  a 
more  desirable  centre  of  operations.  In  1827  the  publi- 
cation of  a  magazine  was  commenced.  At  length  the 
need  for  books  became  apparent,  for  family  and  Sunday- 
school  use.  The  necessity  for  tracts,  books  and  periodi- 
cals arose  in  the  same  way,  from  denominational  consid- 
erations.  Other  publishers  and  publishing  societies  would 
not  issue  works  distinctively  Baptistic.  If  a  literature 
adapted  to  their  faith  and  polity  was  to  be  had,  they  must 
furnish  it. 

At  the  sixteenth  anniversary,  held  in  New  York  April, 
1840,  the  Society  was  reorganized  on  a  broader  basis, 
and  called  "The  American  Baptist  Publication  Society, ** 


598  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

for  the  publication  of  denominational  and  general  relig- 
ious literature. 

In  1855  the  constitution  was  still  further  amended,  and 
in  1856  the  "New  England  Sunday-school  Union,"  a  so- 
ciety similar  in  aim  and  purpose,  was  merged  in  this. 
It  should  not  be  forgotten  that  as  early  as  181 1  the 
**  Evangelical  Tract  Society  "  was  organized  by  Baptists 
in  Boston,  and  became  the  centre  of  denominational  pub- 
lications But  its  work  extended  little  beyond  New  Eng- 
land. 

The  Publication  Society  now  has  a  large  and  elegant 
building  of  its  own  for  headquarters,  with  all  appliances 
for  a  successful  prosecution  of  its  work.  Its  Sunday- 
school  periodicals  have  an  immense  circulation,  extending 
to  many  millions  monthly.  A  large  colporteur  and  Bible 
work  is  done.  It  has  also  branches  in  six  different  States, 
East,  West,  North  and  South.  These  constitute  the  cen- 
tre of  operations  for  the  sections  of  country  in  which  they 
are  located. 

The  sixty-eighth  anniversary  of  the  Society  was  held  in 
Philadelphia  May  29,  30,  1892.  Total  receipts  during 
the  previous  year,  from  all  sources,  as  reported,  was  $673,- 
484.  Of  this  amount  $533,656.59  was  from  the  business 
department,  by  sales  of  its  publications.  The  balance 
was  contributions  for  the  benevolent  work  of  the  Society. 

3.  Home  Mission  Society.     i8j2. 

In  1802  **  The  Massachusetts  Baptist  Missionary  So- 
ciety" was  organized  in  Boston.  This,  strictly  speaking, 
was  the  first  missionary  society  organized  by  American 
Baptists.  Its  object  was,  **  to  furnish  occasional  preach- 
ing, and  to  promote  the  knowledge  of  evangelical  truth 


BENEVOLENT     SOCIETIES.  599 

ill  the  new  settlements  within  the  United  States,  or  further, 
if  circumstances  should  render  it  proper."  This  might 
have  been  considered  both  a  home  and  foreign  missionary 
society.  Other  organizations  were  subsequently  formed, 
more  or  less  local  and  temporary.  It  was  felt  that  a  na- 
tional society  was  needed,  to  plant  and  foster  Baptist 
churches  in  our  rapidly  growing  country. 

Through  the  efforts  of  Boston  Baptists  chiefly,  an  explo- 
ration of  the  new  States  and  Territories  was  undertaken, 
with  a  view  to  more  enlarged  efforts  in  this  direction. 
This  work  was  undertaken  and  efficiently  performed  by 
Rev.  Jonathan  Going,  and,  from  the  information  gained, 
the  demand  for  more  extended  and  energetic  mission 
efforts  in  our  own  country  became  apparent.  For  the  ac- 
complishment of  this  a  new  society  seemed  a  necessity. 
Preliminary  steps  were  accordingly  taken,  a  convention 
called,  and  held  in  New  York  April  27,  1832,  at  which 
this  society  was  organized.  The  efficient  forerunner  of 
this  work  was  Rev.  John  M.  Peck,  an  able  and  conspicu- 
ous pioneer,  a  man  of  large  ability  and  great  devotion, 
who  laid  broad  and  deep  foundations  through  the  South- 
west for  all  that  has  followed. 

The  executive  board  is  located  in  New  York  city,  and 
holds  monthly  meetings— the  Society  meeting  annually. 
The  work  of  the  Society,  as  at  present  adjusted,  is  three- 
fold :  missionary  work  proper,  planting  and  sustaining 
churches,  building  chapels  and  church  houses,  and  the 
support  of  schools  among  the  colored  people  of  the  South, 
Indians,  Chinese  and  Mexicans.  About  thirty  schools  of 
various  grades  are  sustained.  At  the  sixtieth  anniversary, 
held  in  Philadelphia  May  27,  28,  1892,  the  receipts  re- 
ported from  all   sources  were,  $500,390.97.     The  Society 


6oO  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

has  its  missions  in  49  States  and  Territories,  in  British 
America,  and  in  Mexico.  The  missionaries  numbered 
1,053,  and  are  themselves  of  14  different  nationalities; 
had  under  their  patronage  27  schools,  with  6,687  pupils 
enrolled,  466  of  whom  are  ministerial  students;  121  church 
edifices  were  erected,  situated  in  33  different  States  and 
Territories;  4,335  baptisms  by  missionaries  reported;  1,122 
Sunday-schools,  with  69,453  pupils  enrolled.  And  the 
work  and  demand  for  means  increase  faster  than  at  any 
previous  period. 

4.   Southern  Baptist  Convention.     184^. 

From  the  organization  of  mission  work  among  Baptists, 
churches  in  all  parts  of  the  Union,  without  sectional  dif- 
ferences, had  worked  together.  But  finally  it  came  to  pass 
that  the  question  of  slavery,  then  existing  at  the  South, 
disturbed  the  general  harmony,  and  Southern  Baptists 
withdrew  from  cooperation  in  what  were  termed  **  North- 
ern Societies,"  and  organized  agencies  of  their  own. 

In  response  to  a  call  from  the  Board  of  the  Virginia 
Foreign  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  a  Convention  met  in 
Augusta,  Ga.,  May  8,  1845.  This  Convention  was  com- 
posed of  messengers  from  churches,  local  missionary  so- 
cieties, and  other  Baptist  bodies,  chiefly  at  the  South. 
After  the  presentation  and  discussion  of  the  whole  sub- 
ject, "The  Southern  Baptist  Convention  "  was  organized. 
Rev.  William  B.  Johnson,  D.D.,  was  its  first  president, 
and  for  many  years  filled  that  office.  At  first  the  Con- 
vention met  triennially^  afterward  biennially^  but  now  an- 
nually. The  Convention,  under  one  general  administra- 
tion, conducts  all  of  its  mission  work.  It  has  a  Foreign 
Mission  Board,  located  in  Richmond,  Va. ;  a  Home  Mis- 


BENEVOLENT    SOCIETIES.  6oi 

sion  Board,  located  in  Atlanta,  Ga. ;  a  Sunday-school 
Board,  located  in  Nashville,  Tenn.  Missions  are  sus- 
tained in  Italy,  Brazil,  China,  Africa,  Cuba,  and  Mexico. 
At  i\\Q  forty-sixth  anniversary,  held  at  Birmingham,  Ala., 
May  8-12,  1891,  there  were  reported  receipts  for  foreign 
work  during  the  preceding  year  of  $113,522;  for  home 
work,  $67,188.  On  the  foreign  field  they  have  38  sta- 
tions, 17  out-stations  in  cities,  and  130  other  preaching 
places;  38  male  and  48  female  missionaries,  33  ordained 
and  53  unordained  native  workers — 163  in  all;  67  churches, 
with  2,377  members;  361  baptisms  reported  the  preced- 
ing year;  22  schools,  with  823  pupils. 

5.  Woman's  Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society.     iSji. 

This  Society  is  located  in  Boston,  and  works  auxiliary 
to  the  Missionary  Union.  At  its  twentieth  anniversary, 
April  22,  1 89 1,  they  reported  receipts  from  all  sources  of 
$102,629  for  the  previous  year. 

6.  Woman's  Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society.     i8yi. 

This  Society  is  located  in  Chicago,  and  works  auxiliaiy 
to  the  Missionary  Union.  At  its  twentieth  anniversary, 
held  April  14,  189 1,  it  reported  a  total  of  $39,620  from 
all  sources. 

7.    Woman's  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society.     1S77. 

This  Society  is  located  in  Boston,  and  works  in  affilia- 
tion with  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society. 
At  its  fourteenth  anniversary,  held  May  6,  1891,  it  re- 
ported $43,535  total  receipts  for  the  past  year. 


6o2  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

8.    Woman's  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society.     i8yi. 

This  Society  is  located  in  Chicago,  and  more  especially 
represents  the  West.  It  works  in  affiliation  with  the  Amer- 
ican Baptist  Home  Mission  Society.  At  its  fourteenth 
anniversary,  held  May  i8,  1891,  the  receipts  reported  from 
all  sources  were  $35,492  for  the  previous  year. 

9.    Woman' s  Missionary   Union.     1888. 

This  Society,  located  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  is  auxiliary  to 
the  Southern  Baptist  Convention,  and  at  its  third  annual 
meeting,  May  9,  1891,  reported  a  total  of  $38,990  re- 
ceipts. 

I  o.   General  Baptist  German  Conference. 

The  German  Baptist  General  Conference  is  composed 
of  the  Consolidated  Eastern  Conference,  the  Central  Con- 
ference, the  Northwestern  Conference,  the  Southwestern 
Conference,  and  the  Texan  Conference.  Their  work  is 
home  mission,  foreign  mission  and  education,  and  is  largely 
in  affiliation  with  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission 
Society.  It  meets  triennially^  and  the  report  of  the  last 
anniversary  is  not  at  hand. 

II.   Conventions  of  Colored  Baptists. 

The  New  England  Baptist  Missionary  Convention  was 
organized  May  14,  1875.  ^^^  Baptist  African  Mission- 
ary Convention,  for  the  West  largely,  was  organized  Janu- 
ary 15,  1873.  The  Baptist  Foreign  Missionary  Convention 
was  organized  December,  1880.  The  American  National 
Convention,  organized  August  15,  1886,  largely  for  edu- 
cational purposes.     Besides  these,  they  have  various  edu- 


BENEVOLENT     SOCIETIES.  603 

cational  enterprises,  supported  and    managed    by  them- 
selves. 

12.  American  Baptist  Historical  Society.     18^3. 

This  Society  is  conducted  by  a  Board  located  in  Phila- 
delphia. The  object  is  to  collect  and  preserve  valuable 
data  connected  with  Baptist  history  and  affairs.  Materials 
having  reference  to  matters  of  denominational  history  and 
literature  are  collected,  stored  and  preserved  for  future 
reference  and  use. 

13.  American  Baptist  Education  Society.     1888. 

Various  education  societies  had  previously  existed,  op- 
erating on  local  fields,  and  limited  in  extent.  This  was 
organized  May  16,  1888,  to  embrace  the  whole  extent 
of  our  denominational  field  in  America,  and  assist  in 
founding  and  strengthening  Baptist  institutions  of  learning, 
both  academic,  collegiate  and  theological.  At  the  third 
anniversary,  held  May  8,  1891,  the  sum  of  $209,850  was 
reported  as  appropriated  to  the  objects  of  the  Society,  and 
not  less  than  $1,165,500  added  to  our  educational  insti- 
tutions through  the  Society's  agency. 

14.  Baptist  Young  People  s  Union.     i8gi. 

Of  late  years  there  has  been  a  most  energetic  tendency 
to  young  people's  organizations.  Baptists  could  not  be 
long  behind.  This  was,  to  a  large  extent,  the  foundation 
on  a  national  scale  of  various  local  movements  in  the 
West.  The  headquarters  are  located  in  Chicago,  with 
auxiliaries  scattered  through  all  the  States.  The  objects 
contemplated  are  broadly  all  Christian  work— missionary, 
educational  and  reformatory — each  local  society  working 


604  THE   NEW   DIRECTORY. 

with  and  through  the  Church  with  which  it  is  connected. 
They  publish  a  weekly  journal,  raise  and  appropriate 
funds  for  all  objects  of  Christian  benevolence,  and  seek 
the  production  and  development  of  Christian  character 
through  personal  influence  everywhere. 

Note. — The  American  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  organized 
in  1838,  for  faithful  translations  of  the  Scriptures  into  foreign  lan- 
guages; the  American  Bible  Union,  organized  in  1850,  for  the 
faithful  translation  of  the  Scriptures  into  all  languages,  including 
the  English;  and  the  American  Baptist  Free  Mission  Society,  or- 
ganized in  1843,  for  foreign  missions,  as  a  protest  against,  and 
freedom  from,  any  complicity  with  slavery.  These  societies, 
after  long  and  faithful  service,  and  having  accomplished  much 
good,  have  all  lapsed,  and  been  discontinued  as  active  agencies; 
either  the  peculiar  conditions  which  called  them  into  existence 
having  ceased,  or  their  work  having  been  transferred  to  other 
organizations. 


INDEX 


Admission  to  church-membership,  63, 

73-78. 
Albigenses,  and  others,  500-505. 
American  l^aptists,  512. 
Anabaptists,  506,  507. 
Analogical  definitions  of  a  church,  37- 

44. 
Articles  of  Faith,  251,  notes  1,2;  437- 

440,  542. 
Aspersion  for  immersion,  437-441. 
Assembly  of  divines,  399,  442. 
Associations,  330. 
Authorities,  glossary  of,  567. 
Authority  of  churches,  48. 


Baptizo,  its  meaning  and  significant 
use,  390-400. 

Baptism,  what  it  is  and  what  it  sig- 
nifies, 15,  121-130. 

Baptism,  diverse  views  discussed,  386- 
444. 

Baptism,  its  nature  and  design,  425. 

Baptism  of  Christ,  398-400. 

Baptism  of  infants,  124,  468-490:  not  of 
scriptural  authority,  468;  its  rise, 
when  and  how,  477  ;  reasons  given 
for  it,  484  ;  objections  to  it,  488. 

Baptismal  regeneration,  482. 

Baptists,  distinctive  characteristics  of, 
14. 

Baptist  Confessions,  29,  30,  535. 

Baptists,  various  kinds  of,  619. 

Baptists,  foreign,  521. 

Baptist  propositions  and  statements,  11- 
14. 

Baptist  facts  and  figures,  514. 

Baptist  history,  492-521. 

Baptisteries,  what  they  teach,  420-424. 

Baptist  succession,  34. 

Baptized,  statistics  of,  5' 8. 
Benevolent  contributions,  620. 

605 


Benevolent  societies,  694. 

Bethabara,  bathing  place  of  pilgrim*, 

4:i2-434. 
Bible,  as  ultimate  authority,  11. 

Call  to  the  ministry,  286-288. 

Candidating,  109,  note  6. 
^  Choir  (see  Worship),  239-244. 

Christian  ordinances,  119-141. 

Christian  experience  related,  72,  notes 
4-6. 

Christians,  the  sect,  519. 

Church,  Christian,  20-60 :  meaning  and 
uses  of  the  word,  21,  22 ;  signs  of  a 
true  church,  31 ;  not  a  confedera- 
tion, 35;  figurative  terms,  3?  ;  na- 
ture of,  15,  44,  83,  163 ;  comity  of 
churches,  51 ;  each  independent, 
61,  148;  churches  constituted,  62, 
53;  churches  disbanded,  58. 

Church  government,  142-159:  three 
principal  forms  of,  143, 144. 

Church  of  God,  519. 

Church  laws,  14  (13). 

Church-members,  who?  13  (11),  17. 

Church-membership,  61-82:  condiUoDS 
of,  63  ;  modes  of  admission,  73;  re- 
storation to,  78,  note  13 ;  model  of 
dismission,  79;  cannot  withdraw, 
81,  note  7;  dropping  meinbera,  82, 
note  11. 

Church  and  Stale,  12,  prop.  8. 

Church  letters,  what  and  how  used, 
75-82. 

Church,  the:  ita  mlMlon,  252-276;  what 
it  is,  252;  giiit|M-l  ministrations, 
254;  Sunday-school  work ,  257-264  ; 
religious  visitation,  264-268 ;  Chris- 
tian literature,  26H-270;  dUliuctlve 
mission  work,  21Q-2't4. 

Church,  and    moral    reform 
274-276. 


6o6 


INDKX. 


Church,  and  secret  societies,  276,  note  3. 

Church  officers,  83-118;  two  orders 
only,  84 ;  Pastors,  office  and  duties, 
85-109;  deacous,  office  and  duties, 
109-114 ;  deacons'  wives,115,  note  10 ; 
other  officers,  116-118. 

Circumcision,  486-488. 

Clerk,  church,  118,  note  4. 

Clinic  baptism,  438-440. 

Close  communion,  447. 

Communion  (see  Lord's  Supper,  130), 
445. 

Comity  of  churches,  51. 

Consecration  of  elements,  139,  note  5. 

Confessions,  28,  525-543. 

Congregational  singing,  233,  notes  6-8. 

Conventions,  State,  339. 

Councils,  Baptist,  311-329:  origin  of, 
313;  calling  and  conducting  of, 
318-329 ;  when  and  how  called,  58, 
note  3,  201 ;  for  accused  ministers, 
208-215 ;  ex  parte,  205,  4 ;  325  (26, 
28) ;  326  (31) ;  mutual,  204,  205,  325 
(35) ;  328  (37) ;  powers  of,  56,  note  1 ; 
193;  208,  1,  4,  8;  214,  note  1;  306, 
note  18 ;  for  recognition  of  church, 
56-58 ;  for  ordination,  303 ;  in  cases 
of  discipline,  193-215. 

Covenant,  form  of,  562. 

Covenant  meetings,  247. 

Creeds  and  Confessions,  525,  543:  early 
Confessions,  525-529;  later  Confes- 
sions, 531-535;  Baptist  Confessions, 
535-542. 

Deacons,  their  office  and  duties,  109. 

Deaconesses,  115,  note  10. 

Denomination,  what  it  means,  370. 

Derelict  churches,  how  to  deal  with, 
137, 138,  notes  1-4. 

Difl5culties,  unusual,  in  discipline,  192- 
215 :  a  divided  church,  192 ;  an  ex- 
cluded member,  200;  an  accused 
minister,  206. 

Disciples,  519. 

Discipline,  church,  160-192:  meaning  of 
the  term,  162;  object  and  scope  of, 
167 ;  the  spirit  of,  168 ;  the  limit  of, 
170 ;  the  result  of,  171 ;  as  to  offenses, 
X71-184;  their  treatment,  185-191. 


Discipline,  evils  of,  192. 

Dismission  of  members,  79. 

Doctrinal  belief,  19, 

Dropping  church-members,  82,  note  11. 

Dunkards,  519. 

Dutch  Baptists,  507. 

Elders  and  bishops  the  same,  91. 

Eucharist,  180. 

Euchites,  498. 

English  Baptists,  509. 

Enon,  near  to  Salim,  why  sought  for 

baptism,  401. 
Excluded  members,  188-191 ;  82,  note  12. 
Exclusion,  cause  for,  180,  note  25;  1^9. 
Ex  parte  councils,  325-328,  204,  205. 

Facts  and  figures  concerning  Baptists, 

514. 
First  things  in  church  planting,  517. 
Foreign  Baptists,  521. 
Forms  and  blanks,  585. 
Free-Will  Baptists,  519. 

Glossary  of  authorities,  567. 
Government  of  churches,  142-159. 
Governments,  rulers,  etc.,  12,  prop.  7. 
Greek  church,  as  to  baptism,  417-420. 

Hand  of  fellowship,  given  and  with- 
drawn, 78,  note  12;  139,  note  6;  81, 
note  6. 

Historic  Episcopate,  33,  91. 

History,  Baptist,  492-514. 

Household  baptisms,  473. 

Immersion,  universal  for  thirteen  cen- 
turies, 414-417. 

Incorporation  of  churches,  117,  note  1. 

Incorporation  of  Association,  338,  note  5. 

Independency  of  churches,  145-159, 177, 
note  14:  limitation  of  independ' 
ency,  145-152;  evidence  of  inde- 
pendency, 145-152. 

Infant  baptism,  124,  468-491. 

Infant  communion,  467. 

Installation  of  ministers,  307,  308. 

Interdependency  of  churches,  148-150. 

Jordan,  where  John  baptized,  398-402. 
Jordan,  supply  of  water  in,  430-434. 


INDEX. 


607 


Lawyers  (see  Ck)uncil),  188,  note  7. 

Lay-baptism,  129,  note  2;.  138,  note  1; 
374-380. 

Laying  on  of  hands,  353-372,  307,  note 
21. 

Leouists,  502. 

Letters,  church,  75,  80,  81. 

Libraries,  church,  262,  269,  270. 

License,  form  of,  591. 

Licensing  ministers,  300,  301. 

Lord's  Supper,  the,  445-167,  130-141: 
eucharistic  propositions,  445,  446; 
open  and  close  communion,  447- 
480;  baptism  a  prerequisite,  454; 
Baptists  and  Pedobaptists  agree, 
458;  the  question  one  of  baptism, 
459;  symbolism  of  the  ordinances, 
463;  objections  answered,  465-467. 

Marriage  contract,  373. 

Mennonites.  503,  519. 

Messalians,  498. 

Minister,  the,  85,  94. 

Ministers  as  pastors,  293. 

Ministers,  accused,  206. 

Ministers  cannot  be  silenced,  215,  notea 
2-5. 

Ministerial  authority,  294. 

Ministers'  meetings,  341. 

Ministry,  the  Christian,  277-310:  im- 
portance of  to  the  church,  277 ;  how 
it  originates,  280;  clergy  and  laity 
not  primitive,  282;  the  purpose  of, 
284; -perpetuity  of  its  obligation, 
290;  ministers'  relation  to  the 
church,  295.  notes  7,  8;  qualifica- 
tions for,  296-300. 

Mission  of  the  church,  252-272. 

Missionary  societies,  342, 694-604. 

Mission  work,  270. 

Montanists,  498. 

Moral  reform  societies,  274. 

Munster,  mad  men  of,  50J. 

Music  (see  Worship),  238. 

Mutual  councils,  325-328,  204,  205. 

New  Hampshire  Confession  of  Faith, 
638-542. 

Offenses  (see  Disoiplioe),  271-291. 


Officers  of  the  church,  82-118. 

Open  communion,  448. 

Optional  resolutions,  564. 

Ordinances,  Christian,  119-141;  bap- 
tism, 121,  386;  the  Lord's  Supper, 
130,  445. 

Ordination,  277.  344-385:  what  is  ordi- 
nation '  347 ;  what  is  it  in  the  New 
Testament?  345-352;  its  place 
among  the  churches,  361 ;  by  whom 
is  ordination?  364;  what  is  the 
effect  of  it?  373-381 ;  is  it  to  be  re- 
peated? 381-385;  to  insist  is  sacr»- 
mentarianism,  384, 3. 

Ordination  service,  form  of,  303-308. 

Ordination  of  deacons,  114,  note  S. 

Ordination  of  others,  5'J3,  note. 

Pastors,  their  office  and  work,  85-109, 

276. 
Pastorate   and  ministry,  how  related, 

94. 
Pastors  accused  206. 
Pastors,  ministers,  not  priests,  86-M. 
Pastors'  conferences,  341. 
Paullcians,  499,  505. 
Peterines,  500. 
Philadelphia  Confession  of  Faith,  688, 

537. 
Pilgrims  bathing  in  Jordan,  438. 
Pools  in  and  around  Jerusalem,  435. 
Prayer  meetings,  228-234, 
Preaching,  217. 
Preaching  lay,  266,  note  S. 
Presbyter,  bishop,  and  elder  identical, 

85-93. 
Primitive  Baptists,  519. 
Private  Judgment,  11,  prop.  8. 

Recognition  of  miolstera,  80S-810, 881 
Reordlnatlon  of  ministers,  309, 881 
Resolutions  for  church  guidaooe,  864- 

666. 
Restoration  of  members,  78,  note  18. 
Rules  of  order,  676-684. 

Sacraments,  Baptists  reject,  119,  ISO. 
Secret  socirtles,  276,  note  8. 
Hect.s  (see  Baptist  HUtury),!!! 
Separate  Baptists,  619. 


6o8 


INDEX. 


Seventh-Day  Baptists,  519. 
Six-principle  Baptists,  519. 
Societies,  related,  330-343. 
Society  vs.  church,  117,  notes  1,  2. 
Song  services  (see  Worship),  238. 
Sprinkling  for  baptism,  441-444. 
State  conventions,  339. 
Sunday-schcol  work,  257. 
Sunday-schools,  statistics,  520. 
Swiss  Baptists,  505. 
Symbolism  of  the  ordinances,  463. 

Temperance  work,  267,  note  4. 
Treasurer,  church,  117,  note  3. 
Trine  immersion,  419. 
Trustees  of  church,  117,  notes  2, 3. 


Tunkers,  519. 
United  Brethren,  519. 

Visitation,  religious,  264. 
Voting  in  business  meetings,  81,  note 
10;  578. 

Waldenses,  500,  504. 

Williams,  Roger,  512. 

Water  supply  for  baptism,  430-437. 

Welsh  Baptists,  506. 

Worship,Chris)ian,  216-251 :  the  preach- 
ing service,  217 ;  the  prayer  service, 
223;  (he  service  of  song,  238;  the 
word  of  exhortation,  244 ;  the  cove- 
nant meeting,  247. 


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